Unreal Destiny
by OvermindVI
Summary: Tenchi is sent forward in time to save the universe. He discovers that ultimately, the fate of the universe would be determined by a fatal mistake he would make.Emotions flow as he sees how much his friends and loved ones have changed. Added short chapt
1. Part 1-Fatal Mishap

"Tenchi

Unreal Destiny Chapter 1-Fatal Mishap 

Disclaimer:  I do not own Tenchi.  Pioneer/AIC does.  And if I could own any of the Tenchi characters I would prefer to own the girls.  LOL!  Don't sue me.  I'm actually the computer's renegade A.I. Ok?  On with the show.

"Tenchi?"

The gentle, feminine voice eased him out of a long, satisfying sleep.  With great reluctance he opened his eyes, expecting the tender rays of the rising sun to energize him, but finding instead total darkness.  This too, wasn't usually strange for him because he'd been waking up very early to work in the fields, but his two functioning senses told him he was out of place.  The air smelt damp and musky; he shivered to the unnatural cold.  And he had been _woken _up, by one of the girls.  Something was definitely going on.

"Tenchi…"

As his sense of hearing was brought out of his dreams and into the conscious world, he began to recognize the voice that addressed him.  He was partially reassured:  when this voice was heard, safety was usually guaranteed.  The presence of this voice always warranted protection, but usually at the price of disorder.  Tenchi smiled at this thought.

"Please wake up Tenchi."

It wasn't long before he became worried again.  The voice that always carried a tone of curiosity, mischievousness, or gentle motherliness had instead a tone of urgency and concern.  Responding to the voice that called to him, he propped himself up on his elbows to reassure her that he was awake.  Once seated properly, he threw his arms about him in the darkness, trying to find a recognizable wall or piece of furniture.   After feeling nothing but the cold metal he sat on, he concluded that the spaciousness of the room and the voice in it could mean only one thing: Washu's lab.  His eyes made use of the scant lighting and ahead he saw the outline of Washu's petite body and her outrageous hairstyle.

"So, are you awake yet?" Her voice was not as peppy as usual.

"Yeah," Tenchi replied, rubbing his aching head. "I think." 

            "Good, then I'll turn on the lights."  He winced as the bright fluorescent light flooded into his eyes and the world leapt into view.  The first thing he saw was Washus' light green eyes boring into his, telling him without words that something was afoot.  Slowly his sight drifted from her eyes to the wall behind her.   The unremarkable dull gray patterned wall jolted him out of any sleepiness that lingered.  Instantly he new something wrong because the wall, that simple unelaborate wall, belonged to Washu's time chamber.  _The time chamber!_ The very room where he began his journey, back in time, to save his mother from the clutches of Kain.   In a surge of mixed emotions the past surfaced from the mental recesses of his brain and memories, both those full of joy and those of pain, flashed before him.  He remembered meeting a sweet teenage girl, a girl whose only contact with him had been a few passing glances and, near the end, the exchange of a few words.  The girl had been his mother, and although he barely knew her he was sure that she was a sweet and loving person.  He experienced her through his friends, his father, his grandfather, and _through this room._  His dislike for this room lay in the fact that the experience he had was always _mediated _by something; never in his life had he just sat and _talked _with his mother; no, it was always constrained.  Sometimes he thought it would've been best if he never had seen or met her.  Fortunately any discontent he had for that journey was negated by the pure joy that came out of the fact that _he had saved _this girl, his mother.  Washu herself said that screwing with the timeline was something no one, not even genius scientists should do.  For the safety of the universe, all signs of the inter-time journey were to be destroyed, _especially _this time chamber.  And here he was.  What was he doing here?  Was this the same time chamber?  Was this another one of Washu's crazy experiments?  Or was it just another joke of this 20,000-year-old child?  Millions of questions ran through his head, they all came together as:

            "Washu… what's wrong?"

            "Tenchi." She began, "You know as well as I do that for some reason everyone in this house seems to _belong _together, right?  Have you ever wondered _why _Mihoshi gets Kiyone demoted to this backwater planet?  Have you ever wondered _why _Ayeka always convinces her father, the emperor, to permit her to stay here? Or _why_ Ryoko is willing to put up with Ayeka?  Why?  The question always comes up in my mind.  A simple question, I believe, with a simple answer, but I never looked into it.  Because our grouped seemed _destined _to be together, I wanted to find out our _destiny! So, I brushed the dust off of the time machine and went into the future._  Our future."

            _Something must really be wrong… _Tenchi thought to himself, _She's explaining something and it's making sense._

"What I saw in the future is not good, Tenchi," she glanced to the floor, then looked back up.  "Our group, that is now bonded together by what _seems _to be an unbreakable bond will easily be shattered by a dark force. The future is in a state of chaos.  And the fate of the universe, Tenchi, will depend on you."

            Tenchi just stared at her.  Now was not the time for a _Wha? or a _You must be kidding, Washu! _Washu was prone to play with people's minds, but he _knew _that she, just this once, was being serious. He looked deep into her eyes, searching, trying to find answers, only to be confronted by even more questions._

            "Tenchi…" she hesitated, "in the future… the near future you will make a grave mistake.  An accident, for sure, but a fatal mistake nonetheless.  And this mistake will be the first step in the downfall of our little group… and the universe."

            His mind knew the fate of the universe was in his hands now; the wheels in his brain turned and immediately he spat out his first solution. "Washu… why can't you just tell me what it is now so I won't make the mistake?"  It was a very simple, clean, and efficient answer to the problem, he thought.

            "I wish it was that simple Tenchi.  From what I know, the circumstances will press you into it, and they are _unavoidable."_

            "But, can't we stop the circumstances?  Can we just not be there when it happens?"  Desperately Tenchi churned out more ideas, but he knew his efforts were futile.  Washu most definitely reviewed all possible ways to resolve the dilemma.  And obviously, because she was turning to him, none of them worked.

            "No Tenchi!  We can't!"  she responded, harshly.  "I can't explain it to you! And if I did, you wouldn't understand!"  gracefully she waved her arm in a motion indicating the room they were in.  "Do you see why you're here now?"

            Then Washu's plans struck him with full force.  Again he stopped to think. Sweat beaded his forehead as he slowly realized the enormity of the task that was placed on him.  He was going to be sent into the great unknown, literally, he knew nothing and it seemed as if Washu wasn't going to add anything to his miniscule knowledge either.  How could he fix a problem that he knew nothing about?  Washu continued, almost in response to his question.

            "Tenchi…  the spirit of Jurai is in you.  For some reason… although you _are _a total klutz," she cracked a tiny smile that gave him a respectively tiny bit of reassurance, " you make things work out.  _You _are the one that saves the day.  You killed Kagato, you saved Mihoshi and Ayeka from the black hole.  _You _saved your mother.  We were with you, yes, but you were key.  I feel you have the natural aptitude to fix things."  She lowered her head.  "But this time things didn't work out." The smile that had been building on Tenchi's face vanished.  "  Like I said, you made a mistake. And things will turn for worse.  _I _tried to fix things.  But it didn't work.  Everything is inevitable."

            "But I will give _you _a second chance Tenchi.  With this…"  she pointed to the time machine control console,  "I will send you to the future, and you will see the problem for yourself, and you will solve the problem this time.  Ok?"

            "Yes." Tenchi responded.

            "Time to get ready.  _Now._ Do you feel ready to do this?"

            Tenchi gave himself a quick self-examination.  He was in his normal work clothes; Washu probably had changed him.  He wasn't hungry, and he wasn't tired, in fact he was energized after what Washu had told him.  One thing was missing, though.

            "Washu, the others.  Why aren't we going with the others?  I can't go without them."

            "No Tenchi.  This is all you.  And you will see them soon enough. Very soon."

            "Then… I'm ready."

            Without a word, Washu pressed the start button.  The huge machine started up, slowly spinning while humming with increasing volume.  It strained for a moment; the great beast was waking up after a long slumber.  Eventually the pace picked up and the humming became ear piercing.  Before the sound could drown out his voice, Tenchi looked through the spinning bars and empty chairs to see the image of Washu flickering quickly, and he shouted "Don't you worry, Washu!  I'll fix _everything _and prove that _I'm _the number one genius in the universe!!!"  The flickering, blurred, gray-tinted image grinned and winked.  Then Tenchi's world, the very world he loved and was being sent to saved, shrunk into a point and disappeared into the deep abyss.

The soft, damp darkness was very pleasant.  He floated for what seemed to be an eternity when a childish voice broke the silence,  "_I'll _show _you _who's the number one genius in the universe!  Listen up, I'm sending you to the timeframe…"  Washu began explaining something about the multiverse and alternate universes, once again drifting above Tenchi's comprehensive abilities, regaining confidence with the mounting tension.  Tenchi however was meditating, preparing for the upcoming toils.  He breathed slowly and with each breath he became more and more detached; eventually he felt totally disembodied, floating, seeing his own body, likewise floating, in the endless blackness beyond.  Deeper into himself he plunged, _almost _feeling as if he could take on the world, until he thought again of _what _he was being sent to do: go to the future and save the universe by preventing something unpreventable of which he knew nothing about.  The discouraging idea slammed into his brain like a freight train, pulling himself into reality, just in time to hear Washu's grim countdown:  three, two, one…

Wooosssshh… 

The sound was pleasing to the ear…

"Oooo… Tenchiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

He opened his eyes expecting death, war, and chaos… and saw Ryoko's face.  _Wow… she's real beautiful… _he thought.  Her delicate features were outlined by the huge, orange disk of the setting sun to the west.  _Here is something I was sent to save._  He smiled.  Until he realized his position.  Automatically his reflexes kicked in, despite the burden that weighted his mind.

"Ryokoooo!  Get _off _of me!"  He squirmed ineffectively, while noting where he was… in the middle of the carrot fields!  His house stood peacefully a couple miles to the east.  Everything _seemed _in place… including Ryoko.

            "Ooo, isn't this romantic!!!"  she shoved her face right in front of Tenchi's with a devilish grin.  "Let's make love, _right here, right now!_"

            Reluctantly he declined her offer and forcefully shoved her off to the side.  Ryoko noted Tenchi's urgency, and asked "What's wrong?"

            "_Shhhhh!" _he quickly said, raising a palm.

            Again he observed his surroundings…  the house was lighted, a single candle flickered in the window of the shrine.  All the mountains where in place… the lake…  Funaho… everything was _fine!_  Then he glanced again at Ryoko… then it hit him…

_The Sun!!!_The sun was easy to look at because it was a dim, dull orange and not the blinding white light it usually is during midday.  Right in the middle of the huge disk… was a single black dot.

            He squinted to focus… the dot grew bigger!  Then another one appeared… another one! 

            "Yaaaaaa… look!" was all he managed to get out, wildly pointing to the now black polka-dotted sun.

            With a disapproving sigh Ryoko followed the wildly undulating arm to Tenchi's source of irritation.  Her eyes widened as she realized what it was.  "What the hell?" she exclaimed.  "A fleet!" 

            She phased out of sight, forcing Tenchi to reach the house the old fashioned way.  He dashed down the gently sloping hill toward the house, his arms and legs flailing wildly as he gained speed and lost control.  He tried unsuccessfully to slow himself down, falling into the ground.  He felt the cool, rich soil enter his mouth and he flung his face to the side, violently spitting it out while resuming at a slow trot.  By the time he reached the house, he was huffing and puffing loudly, wondering why he was so tired after so short a run.  Someone heard his forceful wheezing and slid open the door just as he was reaching for it.  It was Ayeka.

"What is going on Tenchi…" her eyes narrowed. "and Ryoko?"

            Tenchi shifted himself to see Ryoko with Ryo-ohki at her foot, both gazing into the blue-black sky.  Tenchi followed suit and looked up as well.

            "Eyaaaa!" he yelped again, as he glanced wildly from Ryoko to Ryo-ohki to Ayeka, who were all still calmly staring into the sky.  Sasami also heard Tenchi's surprised yells and came to the door.  "What is…" she looked up, "oh…my!"

            Dozens of Jurai battleships blotted out the sky.

            Just looking at the intimidating sight caused Tenchi to lose balance and fall over.  While looking at the huge green and light brown sky from the ground, he shouted at the top of his lungs,  "_Does anyone know what the heck is going on here?!?"_

__In response to his plea, two bright lights appeared from under one of the battleships.  Quickly but gracefully they floated down to where they all were standing and materialized into Jurain soldiers.  Immediately they leapt into action. 

            "Princess Ayeka," one said hurriedly, bowing.  He grabbed Ayeka by the legs, gruffly placed her over his shoulder, and started sprinting toward the center of the yard.  All Ayeka could do was look at Tenchi longingly before they changed into a tiny spark of light and zoomed into the writhing mass of Jurain ships overhead.

            "Princess Sasami," said the other, in a kindlier voice, "we must leave now."  Before Sasami could respond, he gently but quickly picked her up and started running to the center of the clearing.

            "Tenchi…" Sasami cried out, her arms outstretched to the person to which she called.  Again, before anything else could be done, they changed into a white light and ascended to the ships.

            "Ryoko, we have to do something!  We have to found out what's going on!"  Tenchi yelled as he bolted up.  Ryoko nodded while signaling Ryo-ohki to transform.

            Kiyone, Mihoshi, and Nobiyuki came to the door to see Ryo-ohki float silently into the huge fleet.  They all looked at each other and shouted in unison, "Yokinojo!"

            "God damn Jurains!"

            "No ships are permitted near the fleet.  Land now and depart your ship or you will be destroyed."

            "I don't give a _fuck_ about the Jurains want!  I want to know _what the hell is going on_!"

            Ryoko's enraged voice provided a pleasant background on which Tenchi could think.

            _What _is _going on?_  Washu places me in this pleasant, everyday setting, and immediately afterward the entire Jurain fleet descends on planet earth! His eyes widened with horror as he continued, _Have I already made the mistake?_  Did I miss it?  Maybe I should've stopped those soldiers from taking Sasami and Ayeka!  Oh, geez, I have no idea _what the mistake is going to be!_  Again he paused to compose himself.  _Washu said that the mistake will be unavoidable._  Might as well see how things take their course and do all that I can to fix it.

            The Jurain on the viewscreen was now outwardly angry.  "I _said…"_

__Quickly the screen changed from the Jurain's red face to that of Princess Ayeka.

            "Ayeka!"

            "Ryoko, Tenchi," she nodded, "I still don't now what's going on.  But I intend to find out.  Please, for your sake,  go…"

            On another screen Sasami's face appeared.  "Tenchiiii…" she moaned softly.  Ryo-ohki's quiet _mew _echoed in response throughout this ship. 

            "Sasami!" he shouted back, urgently, "Where are you?"

            "They put me in a different ship than Ayeka.  I… I… don't know."  Her eyes shined brightly in the ships light… she was crying.

            Immediately Tenchi attempted to console her.  "Don't worry, Sasami, everything will be…"

FWOOOM!! 

_ _

            Before he could finish, an ear-drum shattering explosion rattled Ryo-ohki.  Ayeka's view screen vibrated wildly but was still enough for Tenchi to see Ayeka get flung violently across the room.  He sat silently; he could do nothing.  He looked to Sasami's screen."

            "I'm sorry princess," a masculine voice said as two arms encircled the little princess and picked her up.  The viewscreen now revealed the command center of the Jurain ship; dozens of men and woman worked frantically at their consoles.  Tenchi had never seen Jurains so worried.  In unison, Sasami's viewscreen, and Ayeka's, which was obstructed by smoke, disappeared.  He looked to Ryoko.

            "Something _destroyed _some battleships at the top of the fleet," she said calmly, "The wrecks are falling towards the earth… and taking more ships with it.  We have to get out of the way, now, hold on tight!"

            _Meooooow! _Ryo-ohki skimmed across the surface of the earth, trying to get out from under the fleet… but it extended for _miles!_Why was such a _huge _fleet here on earth? Tenchi looked to another screen that displayed the view behind him.

            It was chaotic… the once perfect fleet formations were shattered by huge clumps of Jurain wrecks falling toward the earth.  Several battleships tried to maneuver from under the falling ships, but in vain.  Like huge, light brown meteors, many clusters of ships crashed into the earth.  He saw his house get crushed under a hulking mass… but he knew that dad and Mihoshi, under Kiyone's command, had safely escaped. He looked for the shrine…  it stood on the mountain, and surprisingly, was one of the places that was _not _under the gigantic fleet.  Grandpa was safe… for now.  Boy, things were moving _real _fast. It was only _minutes _ago he was between Ryoko's legs in the soft soil.  Then another horrible thought hit him…

            _Oh, GOD! Ayeka and Sasami are on those ships! _He had forgotten in the disorder that Ayeka and Sasami were not with them. "We have to go ba…"

            "_Shit!" _Ryoko cursed violently as Ryo-ohki maneuvered to avoid a blurred black object.  It was a simple, black, wedge shaped ship, and obviously the source of trouble.  He didn't have to look for long to find another one, dozens were charging at their ship.

            But they were avoiding them!  They weren't attacking them!  They all headed toward the Jurain fleet!  

            _Ayeka…_Tenchi thought, _or Sasami. That's who they're after._

            A simple, light brown door materialized in the courtyard of the shrine. Washu stepped out and walked next to Katsuhito, who was calmly watching the entire spectacle unfolding before them.

            "She's here, isn't she?"  It was the first time ever Katsuhito was unsure of the situation.

            "Yes," answered Washu.  "She's here.  You must leave now."

            "You should leave too, Washu."

            "No, Yosho.  This is how it's going to happen."

            Katsuhito nodded.

            The scene raged on.

            "AAAAAA! Kiyone, I'm scared!"

            Kiyone struggled to keep the ship under control while ignoring Mihoshi's incessant whining.  Nobiyuki was safe in the cargo hold.  She made sure everyone was outside of the house before they left; she too had seen the Jurain battleship crash into their home.  

            Sweat beaded on her forehead as she weaved Yokinojo gracefully through the titanic fleet.  The formation had been broke for a while now.  The battleships were now engaged in full combat with the black ships.  Not much progress was being made though; the black ships darted in an out of the fleet, avoiding the blasts.   Ultimately the battleships were hitting each other more than they were hitting the mysterious black ships. The least she could do was help them out.

            

            "Where are the princesses?" the voice asked.  It had a kind, ringing tone, but any kindness his voice indicated was immediately overshadowed by his malicious intent.

            "We believe they are on the ground sir.  Among the downed battleships."  Another voice crackled back through the speaker.

            "Send in the troops.  Get them.  _Now_."

            "Yes sir."

            "Oh no."  Kiyone let Yokinojo fly straight and level as she marveled at the crimson lights falling from the sky like rain.  She angled Yokinojo's nose down to see what happened to the lights as they hit the ground- they materialized into soldiers.

            She dropped Yokinojo into a descending turn.  There was something wrong with these soldiers… they didn't seem… _real._  They were humanoid in form, but all black, and they had no defined edges… just… like black, human shaped smoke.  In unison they all looked at Yokinojo.  She fired her guns, spattering energy bullets all over the ground.  They returned fire.

            This was a losing battle.  The Jurai commander stared thoughtfully at the strategic display box.  In this huge box, holographic projections of all the ships hovered in their relative positions over the earth's landscape.  Battleships were ineffective in bringing down any of the enemy ships.  Instead, they hit _each other _and crashed into _each other._  We shouldn't have brought so many ships.  What I thought would help bring victory is instead causing our downfall.

_            And now, their troops were coming down.  Both princesses were on the ground, and both were alive, he knew.  If only he could get them into one of the working ships!  They could take off and bring them to a safe place.  And now he was losing ships, men, and he was about to lose the princesses to the enemy ground forces._

            He sighed heavily… then made the decision.

            "Send _all _troops to the earth's surface.  Their orders are to find the princesses and send them to _this _ship.  Transport all other personnel to their respective flagships.  Afterwards, scuttle all ships except the flagships."

            "Sir?"  The comms officer asked.

            "Do, it now, officer."

            "Yes, sir."

            "Yes, yes go, go, go!"  Kiyone cheered as she saw thousands of bright white lights pop out of the Jurain ships.  Immediately upon materializing, the Jurain troops clashed with the enemy.  She had no time to observe the battle; she had to concentrate on helping the Jurai….

            Ships!  They were dissolving!  She looked all around her.  All ships not dropping troops were _dissolving!_  _What's happening? _she thought.  Quickly she added power to her boosters to gain altitude.  She new the Jurain flagships would be near the top of the fleet.  She sighed with relief upon seeing about 4 ships still operating and still fighting.

            She angled Yokinojo's nose straight toward the ground and the sight disheartened her.  There were no longer any other Jurain battleships.  And the ground was _coated _with a sea of men and women.  Fighting.  And dying.

            "Yeeeehaw, Tenchi, they're running away!"  Ryoko shouted gleefully.  The fighting had brought them out of the Earth's atmosphere and into the cold void of space.  After a while, the hordes of black ships withdrew.  Ryoko was doing a little victory dance with a Ryo-ohki crystal when Tenchi jolted them both back to reality.

            "Ryoko!!!! We have to go back _now _and see what's happening in Japan!"

            "Oh, yeah. Ryo-ohki!"

            _Meeeowww!_

__Quickly Ryo-ohki spun around and stopped once Japan came into view.  All three of them paused for a moment as the island of Honshu came into focus.

            Bright lights were flashing randomly at Okayama. A battle.

            "Go, Ryo-ohki!"

            Ryo-ohki responded quickly by jetting straight to the area of delicate flashing lights.  As she descended friction built up and the view-screen turned became obstructed by the red-hot coat that was slowly building up around her.

            When they finally slowed down and the heat dissipated, they were confronted with quite a view.  All across the once peaceful landscape was pure chaos:  smoking Jurain battleships surrounded by fighting Jurains and the enigmatic black soldiers.  Every single one of them was looking for Princess Ayeka and Princess Sasami.  Four Jurain battleships remained; they hovered quietly over the landscape, spared from the bloodbath that raged below them.

            "We have to find Ayeka and Sasami, Ryoko." Tenchi said, observing the battle, trying in vain to find any sign of them.

            "Yeah.  Ayeka's ship was one of the first ones hit right?" Ryoko asked.  Tenchi nodded.  They had seen how the first explosion shook Ayeka's ship.  "Well, let's go to the pile right there."  She pointed to a huge mass of Jurain wood where the thickest part of the battle was occurring.

            "Ryoko!!!"  he shouted at the top of his lungs, while beating down with his sword an attacking black figure.  "You try and find Ayeka, I'll try to get Sasami!!!" He ducked, swung out his leg, tripped another black figure, and proceeded to hack into pieces.  Ryoko, meanwhile shoved a red energy dagger into the nearest enemy and nodded.  Quickly she flew inside of the wreckage.  

            She flew down the corridors, searching for any sign of either princess.  She smiled, _Why can't I find that bratty little bitch when I _want _to find her! She turned a corner, raising her dagger high, expecting to find another enemy but instead finding a wounded Jurain soldier._  His reflexes kicked in rather slow, and he weakly raised his stick and closed his eyes.  Ryoko knelt down in front of him.  "Is Ayeka in this ship?"  she asked.  "I must find her."

            "She was in one of the ships we crashed into…she…" he cringed in pain, "she shouldn't be far.  Go… find her!  She is of great importance!"  He waved her away.  She resumed flying down the hallways.

            _She is of great importance? _she thought, _What does he mean by that?_  Of course she's of great importance, she's the daughter of the Emperor!

__The corridor ended abruptly, broken in half and blocked by the hull of another downed ship.  Easily she blasted the wall down.  It opened into the cargo hold of another battleship.

            She was greeted with yet another unusual scene that both gave her hope and discouraged her.  Kamidake hovered in the air, dodging blasts from a group of enemy soldiers while returning them without much accuracy. Azaka lay at the edge of the cargo hold, a deep fissure running diagonally down his side.  She phased out then back in right behind the enemy soldiers and cleanly, with one swipe, chopped off all their "heads."  Like all the others she had killed today, they did not slump over and "die,"  they just dissipated into the air… like smoke.  Kamidake still maneuvered in the air and fired bolts at the where the enemies were. She flew up to him.

            "Kamidake, where is Ayeka?  Tell me now!"

            Mindlessly, Kamidake continued to hover about, firing bolts, while saying, "Must protect the Emperor!  Must protect the Emperor!"

            "Ah, what a bucket of bolts, you aren't making any sense!  The Emperor is _not _here!"  she yelled, exasperated.  She kicked him; he flew across the hold, clanged against the wall, and fell to the ground, all the while chanting "Must protect the Emperor!"

            She looked over at Azaka. She knew she wouldn't get much out of him and that condition but she figured it wouldn't hurt to try.

            "Azaka, _where is Ayeka?!" _

            "He-he-he-hello, Ryoko.  I-I d-d _fzzzzz_.  Yo-  ect- Emp…_fzzz._"  He turned slightly.

            Ryoko looked the where Azaka indicated.  On the ground, folded nicely and still in good condition were Ayeka's clothes.

            _Damnit!_  She's out there fighting!

_ _

            "_Yaaaaaa!" _Tenchi shouted at the top of his lungs as he came down upon an enemy soldier swinging his sword violently.  Upon landing and destroying the threat, he shifted his foot, pivoted, turned around, and quickly executing two, wide, sweeping swings, taking down another two enemies.

            He was in the forest now, heading for the nearest wreck that was imbedded in the side of a mountain.   _Just like one of Grandpa's training sessions, _Tenchi thought as he kicked an enemy into tree and pinned him there with his sword, only_ multiplied a couple thousand times over._  He turned, thrusting his sword out, only to stop himself from almost decapitating a fellow Jurai soldier.  Realizing no enemies were around, he took the opportunity the bolt for the wreckage as fast as possible.

            He saw a clearing up ahead but he had to much momentum and couldn't stop himself from tumbling right into the middle of the small grassy field.  Just as he expected, several black figures jumped out of the woods, hissing while forming a circle around him.

            Adrenaline pumped through his veins and time slowed down to a snails place.  While pacing his breathing he counted the number of his foes.  _One… two… three… four… five… six._  Six of them.  Forming a hexagon around him.

            He lunged directly at the enemy his body was pointing at.  He executed a quick hop, flung his heel at his enemy's "chin", while raising his sword high above his head.  Unable to react in time the black figure took the kick the best it could, tumbling backwards. As it attempted to prop itself up, Tenchi slashed at its "throat".  It disappeared.

            _Five._

            The element of surprise was gone.  The two nearest him were already charging.  One made an extension of its "body" and swung it above its head while the other shot little bolts at Tenchi with its hand.  The one with the "sword" leapt into the air preparing to swing downward at Tenchi's head; the other stopped about a meter away and continued firing.  The three on the other side of the clearing were just beginning their advance.  Since the time Tenchi fell into the clearing, three seconds had passed.  Pushing off the ground, Tenchi leapt under the leaping figure and slashed at the "chest" of the firing one.

            _Four._

__Spinning on his foot, he continued his slash to make a complete circle that ended in the back of the other figure that just landed right behind him.

            _Three._

__He turned back around to find only two figures running at him. Where was that other one?  Quickly he glanced into the foliage above him but saw nothing.  He looked back at the two advancing enemies and refocused on the matter at hand.  Both of them extended their hazy right "hands" into "swords."  Tenchi decided to take the defensive this time.  They leapt and landed right of front of him in unison; one had its sword above his head and was coming downward, the other had its sword to its left, coming in for a horizontal swing. _Bad move, _Tenchi thought to himself.  He blocked the vertical swing with his sword.  Then he quickly shifted his feet apart, lowering himself and avoiding the horizontal swing by a couple inches.  It continued on and chopped in half the figure next to it, still recoiling from the block.

            _Two._

            More adrenaline pumped into him.  His Jurain ancestry came out and his sword began to glow blue, brimming with energy.  He slashed at the figure.  It blocked but fell over by the power of the blow.  Relentlessly Tenchi came downward at the prostrate figure.  It kept on blocking from the ground; Tenchi kept on swinging downward.  The clangs grew in intensity.  Finally, with a battle cry of primal rage, Tenchi came downward, chopping the figure's "sword" in half and continuing downward to cleanly cut the figure from the top of the head to the middle of its torso.  It dissipated, carried away by the wind.

            _One._

__He was about to search the woods to find the final figure but he heard a rustle behind him.  Quickly he brought his sword into the air, began a spin, and with unstoppable force he started his downward slash while facing his enemy.

Time stopped as in a millisecond his glands turned his blood into pure adrenaline…

It was Ayeka.

The picture was frozen right in front of his eyes.  Ayeka, in her battle armor, body facing him but her head turned to the right.  She was in a combat stance; her right arm was extended and glowing.  Further along to her right was a dissipating figure taking a full blast of Ayeka's power.  The final enemy.  The enemy he was _supposed _to be slashing at right now.  Ayeka had saved him.  The enemy was in an unexpected place and would have had an opportunity to strike out at him with ease. In the place where Tenchi expected the enemy would be stood Ayeka instead.

Oh, please, God, NO! Washu, please, no! 

_ _

He was slowly going back into real time.  His sword was already half way down in its descent, glowing a blinding white blue color and flowing with pure energy. 

No, Washu!  NO! 

Time started to go by faster.  Ayeka began to turn toward Tenchi, a victorious grin on her face.  The sword was still out of her field of vision. 

Damn you Washu!  No!  Please, no! 

_ _

Her eyes met his and glowed brilliantly.  The sword was now just inches from her abdomen, unstoppable.

Nooooooooooooooooo! 

_ _

Her face was now directly facing his.  Senses sharpened by the intense adrenaline rush, Tenchi realized, for the first time ever, how beautous Ayeka was, and how much he _loved _her.

_She _is_ so beautiful Washu, how can you do this to me._

With a sickening crack, the sword penetrated Ayeka's battle armor.  It continued to slide into her body, blood flowing from the newly made fissures.  It reached just a little to the right of the center of her body; there Tenchi stopped the sword and quickly pulled it out.  Immediately the sword dimmed to its original, wooden, brown color. 

            Ayeka looked down at her belly, then back at Tenchi.

            "Tenchi…" she gasped.  She smiled.

            Then, slowly, she fell to her knees.  Tenchi, shocked by his own actions, took a couple steps backwards.

            Gracefully, and for what seemed an eternity, Ayeka fell to the ground… and died.

            "NOOOOOOOO!" it was a short cry of pure fury; fury directed at the black figures, fury directed at Washu, and fury directed at himself.

            In a blinding flash the three Light Hawk Wings burst froth from his body and encircled Ayeka's.  Gently, with the Wings, Tenchi brought Ayeka in standing position in front of him.

            Tenchi's face crinkled in concentration.  The Wings grew intensely bright, pumping life energy into Ayeka's limp body, but it was futile.  He clenched his fists, again he strained, again the Light Hawk Wings grew to blinding intensity, and again it failed to revitalize her.  Again he tried, and again he failed.

            He placed Ayeka's body back on the ground, face up, and gently placed her arms across her chest.  The Wings disappeared in a flash. Tenchi collapsed next to Ayeka's body, exhausted.  He managed to pull himself up in the kneeling position.  He put his hand on Ayeka's cheek and through tightly shut eyes, he cried.

            "There, there, one of them may be in there!"  Mihoshi shouted as she pointed to another wreck that they had not searched.  She was abnormally…calm. Kiyone flew Yokinojo above the wreckage.  "Ok," Mihoshi continued,  "lower me down on the hook again and I'll search this one."  Before Kiyone could react she dashed to the cargo bay.  Kiyone was puzzled.  Mihoshi was calm, collected, and doing things right.  But she wasn't going to think about it any more than she needed to,  this was a good thing.  _Ok, I'm on, lower me! _she heard over the intercom.  She also heard the huge battle raging in the background.

            Mihoshi dangled perilously over the wreckage.  Jurains and dark figures were still fighting all over the landscape.  Every now and then one of the enemies would try to shoot her but she shot back with extreme accuracy.  "Keep on lowering me!" she shouted into the intercom.  "I'm only halfway there!"

            She gazed through her goggles down into the wreckage.  Suddenly, a blinding white light appeared and grew out of the rubble.  She quickly tapped her cube on her waste and adjusted the shade setting on her goggles.   Then she saw it.  Eight Light Hawk Wings, forming an oval around Princess Sasami.  As the Wings lifted Sasami out of the wreck, all the black figures on the battlefield let out a howl in unison.  It was a signal; every single black figure began shooting at Sasami, Mihoshi, and Yokinojo.  The bolts bounced harmlessly off Sasami's protective covering.   Two more Wings appeared and began gliding across the surface of Yokinojo, protecting it and Mihoshi.  Once Sasami reached Mihoshi, the oval opened up and gently placed Sasami, asleep and in the fetal position, into Mihoshi's outstretched arms.  "Go!"  She shouted into the intercom as black projectiles zoomed all around her.  "Pull us up and head to the flagship!" Kiyone took no time in following her partner's commands.

            Washu stood in the courtyard of the shrine, alone.  She pointed to the two withdrawing Jurai battleships and said, to apparently no one, "You've lost. Princess Sasami has escaped."

            A figure materialized in front of Washu, obstructing her view of the battlefield.  It was an old man of large stature.  He had two beady, oblong eyes that slanted elegantly toward the bridge of his nose.  Another oval lay in the middle of his forehead.  He had long, gray hair that hung to his shoulders.  He snickered.

            "No, Lady Washu, I'm afraid we've won," his voice flowed, sweet and smooth. "Your Tenchi took care of one objective for us."  He laughed loudly.  "And our number one objective… was you."

            "Shut up and take me now."

            He closed his eyes for a moment.  "Lady Tokimi will see you now."

END PART ONE

Washu, whose whereabouts are unknown, reflects on her failure, and how the responsibility is now Tenchi's….

**Komm, süsser Tod  
(Track 11 in The End of Evangelion Soundtrack)**  
  
I know, I know I've let you down  
I've been a fool to myself  
I thought that I could  
Live for no one else  
But now through all the hurt and pain  
It's time for me to respect  
The ones you love mean more than anything  
  
So with sadness in my heart  
Feel the best thing I could do  
Is end it all and leave forever  
What's done is done it feels so bad  
What once was happy now is sad  
I'll never love again  
My world is ending  
  
(Chorus)  
I wish that I could turn back time  
Cause now the guilt is all mine  
Can't live without the trust from those you love  
I know we can't forget the past  
You can't forget love and pride  
Because of that it's killing me inside  
  
It all returns to nothing...It all comes  
Tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down  
It all returns to nothing...I just keep  
Letting me down, letting me down, letting me down  
In my heart of hearts  
I know that I could never love again  
I've lost everything...everything  
Everything that matters to me matters in this world  
  
(Repeat Chorus)  
  
It all returns to nothing...It all comes  
Tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down  
It all returns to nothing... I just keep  
Letting me down, letting me down, letting me down  
(Repeat till end)

[****][1]Here's a page where you can download Komm, süsser Tod.  I'm sure he won't mind cause I'm sorta advertising.  If you're the owner, and you just happen to be reading my fic, and you want the link off, give me a holler.[****][2]OvermindVI1@cs.com

Yeah, it's a Neon Genesis Evangelion song but its lyrics seem so perfect for Washu's predicament.

   [1]: http://members.fortunecity.com/def1n1tely/main.html
   [2]: mailto:OvermindVI1@cs.com



	2. Part 2-Historical Enlightenment

Unreal Destiny

Part 2-Historical Enlightenment

Oops, this hasn't been proofread yet but I'm eager to put it up. 

He was in the subspace blackness again.He could feel it.It felt cold on his skin and he hated it.He _breathed _it.The air was damp.Musky.Unpleasant.And he hated it.He opened his eyes as quickly and violent as humanly possible.He saw nothing.It was dark.Lonely.And he hated it_._He knew who sent him here._And he hated her! _

"WASHUUUU!" he screamed, it was pure, brutal fury.He screamed as long as hard as he could.His voice cracked and he stopped, but he continued to release anger.He thrashed his arms violently, throwing his sword as fast and as hard as he could and although he couldn't see it he knew that it was gone and lost forever.But he didn't care.He felt no emotions whatsoever.Except anger.

He yelled again; the emblem of his power appeared on his forehead and glowed with an unreal intensity that illuminated the nothingness.The Wings appeared and thrashed around in the darkness with him, flailing about with an untapped power that was being released only now.The energy coursed through his veins and his head began to hurt.His vision gradually turned red.And he felt another Wing flowing to the tips of his fingers… but it never came out.

He felt a sharp pinch in his back.At that instant he stopped thrashing and the wings were sucked back into his body as suddenly and as abrupt as they came out.He could feel his brain gradually fall back into order and as his thought became rational again he realized that Washu must have injected him with something.He turned himself around as calmly as he could, but still forcefully, to find Washu but found nothing but the discouraging blackness.Eventually he tried meditation and his anger began to dissipate with every slow, prolonged breath.

His anger turned into fear.Fear of what just happened, fear of what was going to happen, fear of the unknown, and fear of the inevitable.The fear spread through his body and again he felt cold.And he couldn't stop himself from shuddering violently.He couldn't stop himself from crying.

Again, he didn't see it, but he felt Washu's motherly care come to him as warmth enveloped him.And again his breathing slowed, but this time, his fear turned into calm.

He didn't hear it, but somehow he _knew _Washu's next directions.He was going to be sent further along the timeline.He was going to try to stop the _bigger _problem:the fall of the universe.He didn't think though… he just floated… cried… and shivered… in the deep, dark, abyss.

"… only to fall into the hands of a vicious, soulless being who has no conception whatsoever of freedom, love, or even _life?_"

A soft, very beautiful voice pulled Tenchi out of his sleep.He didn't know if it was sleep but again he didn't care.He looked at his immediate surroundings, and because of his mood, he thought violently, and almost out loud, _Where the hell am I?!_

__He didn't know if he was indoors and outdoors.To his left and to his right, he saw walls, but they were _miles _away and they rose like sheer cliffs into a haze into which he could not see the ceiling, if there was one.The room or canyon he was in was _dominated _by a gargantuan tree, a Jurai tree, bigger than anything he had ever seen in his life, bigger even than Soja.It rose into the haze at well and just _looked _taller than the walls that accompanied it.It's size alone emanated grandeur and power.

He noticed the room and the tree caught his attention first; as he pulled himself into perspective he realized that he was in a massive sea of people… seconds he later he realized that all these people were Jurain soldiers… and after he realized this it dawned on him that he, too, was wearing Jurain battle armor.People spread from him in all directions as far as he could see, and all of them were facing the tree.

He was on Jurai.

He tapped at the soldier standing at rigid attention next to him and received a harsh glare in return.But Tenchi persisted.He tugged on the soldier's sleeve and monotonously and apprehensively asked,"Where is Princess Ayeka?"

The soldier glared again at Tenchi and his face turned red with anger as he unconsciously sought the hilt of his weapon.

"Do not degrade our slain Empress' honor by speaking of her so."

So it must only be a few years after the incident…

Again Tenchi's head swam as he realized that Ayeka would die.His rage, fury, anger, fear, dejection, panic, dread, all his emotions came together as discipline.Sweat formed on his furrowed brow and in his tightly clenched fists.He felt warm blood come seep from where his nails dug into his palm.He grinded his teeth together and although the awful sound of mashing enamel reverberated through his brain he could still hear the beautiful voice. 

"We are in troubling times, my people, but rather than allow this discourage us we must be motivated! Motivated to rise, rise with arms, and fight the abomination that tears through the universe, bringing with it pain, suffering, and chaos that shatters the peace that had once ruled our universe."

The voice was so soothing.It felt so near but he did not see its source around him so he sought it out.Then he saw her… there she stood, in a miniscule niche carved into the enormous bulk of the tree, and although the trunk dwarfed her the strength of her words and the power of her stature spread forth from her body and spoke to every single soul in the hall.

Tsunami!

Behind her stood several men and women, representing different species and wearing a plethora of uniforms but all were obviously men and women of high standing.But one caught his attention… behind Tsunami and only a couple of feet to the right stood a tall woman in a uniform plastered with a variety of medals.She was tall as Tsunami, had straight, close cropped sandy-yellow hair and stood in the perfect military attention stance.Even though she was not talking she radiated discipline, potency, and triumph.

Before he could examine the woman further Tsunami caught his full attention by continuing her speech.Her voice rang clearly through the multitude.

"The war rages on and great prices our paid.But what is the price of freedom?For all things obtained cheaply are regarded with equally low value; but everything gained at great price will be highly cherished.Thus, in fighting our battles we _justify _our freedom… we give it meaning, we give it life, and _we assert our status as Jurai!_

"Jurai is not a planet, nor race; it is a governing power, a principle, and _an ideal._And when one dares to challenge this ideal, it is an obligation for the people of Jurai to stand, and _defend it!_ Where is this quintessence known as Jurai?Did it die with the Emperors and Empresses that fought before me?Does it fade away with the battle cries that ring across the universe? The answer is no!For Jurai has not died.It _lives!You are Jurai! _In taking arms you _become _Jurai, not a person of Jurai, not a people of Jurai, but a _force, _a power that heralds freedom and liberates from the enemy the right to live!Therefore, you, my friends are now tangible representations of _liberty herself!_ "

Lady Tsunami shined brightly,

"And we can go into the battlefield, assured by the fact that we represent good, and _good will prevail._Now go, with the spirit of Jurai and the essence of good pure in your hearts, fight, and triumph!"

For what seemed to be an eternity the masses of soldiers stood in reverent silence of Lady Tsunami's emotional discourse.Tenchi, although worn, emotionally drained, and out of place, joined them and looked at the beautiful goddess with silent admiration.After an appropriate amount of quietude, one of the soldiers began the customary cheer, and the words that came out of his mouth jolted Tenchi:

"Long live… _Empress Sasami_!!!"

_Empress?! _he thought, _Sasami?!_

As the millions of soldiers joined in the deafening chorus he spun to look again at the woman whose identity he held in doubt._Tsunami…_he recalled the only times he had seen Tsunami, long ago._She's not tall enough…Sasami…_He couldn't believe it.Washu must have sent him at least _a decade _further along the timeline!He watched Sasami drift back into the tree, the high-ranking officials in tow, immersed in thought.He _had _to find out what happened.Sasami was _Empress; _she was sending _millions_ of troops into space, to defend _the universe, _to fight an all-powerful _abomination! _He felt like he was in a dream… an unreal dream, or a nightmare… but he painfully remembered that it was no dream… the exact word Washu used was destiny. He shuddered at the disheartening combination of words… _an Unreal Destiny._

They all were ushered back to their quarters and were told that the next day they were to be sent to the planet Roeselare, a contested planet right on the conflict line.Tenchi realized that he universe was locked in a war of massive proportions.And like all wars, there would be many, many deaths

_But… _he thought, _how does this tie in… with my incident?_He refused to directly acknowledge Ayeka's death, it was a fact he would never, ever come to grips with.

In response to his mental questions, he suddenly _knew _how to get an answer.Immediately he realized it was another "thought/command" that Washu had implanted in his mind during his subspace emotional outburst:_the archives._

__Ignoring a mild reprise from his bunkmate, he leapt from his bed and ran out the door.He ran through the palace, and although he didn't know how to reach his destination he felt himself being guided by Washu's subliminal commands.He _instinctively _knew how to reach the archives.After wandering through the massive labyrinth to the point of exhaustion he stopped at an unremarkable brown door, similar to one of many that he had passed, but following his mind he went in.

Naturally he closed the door but in doing so he cut off all light from entering the pitch-black room.He could see nothing but he heard a gentle hum come from one of the corners of the room in response to his entrance.His torso was shifted and his hand was on the door, about to open it, when the lights flickered on and revealed a featureless, dark brown, cubical room.In the blink of an eye an old man materialized before him, obviously a hologram, and startled Tenchi with a staccato "Hi!" that seemed way to cheery and jovial considering the circumstances.

"Um…"

"I guess you want some info, eh?" the old man interrupted, before Tenchi could continue.

"Yeah…"

"Well, what'll it be?"Two chairs rose from the floor; one came up below the old man, the other forcefully pushed Tenchi into the sitting position.

"Tell me everything that happened since…" his throat dried up in the fraction of a second and his vision blurred slightly as he croaked, "the death of Pri… Empress Ayeka."

The old man sensed Tenchi's apprehension and softly said, "Then I'll guess you'll want me to describe the First Battle of Earth."

"Yes… please."

The old man paused for a second as data was retrieved, then he continued in his gentle voice."First Battle of Earth, the first battle of the Universal War and, of course the first major and decisive conflict.Hmm… the First Battle of Earth officially began _after _the assassination of Emperor Azusa."

"The _what?" _Tenchi shouted.

"Oh, I'm surprised that a young Jurain like you should not know about these events… anyways the enemy, a omnipotent being who calls herself Tokimi," -the name had no meaning to Tenchi-, " made her appearance in the year 326.She is a higher plane being and thus entered our dimension through a wormhole… and that wormhole appeared directly in front of Azusa's fleet.

"Today Tokimi's army is more manageable, but at that time her _entire _army came through the wormhole… masses of simple wedge shaped ships that are the mainstay of Tokimi's fleet poured forth from the wormhole like swarms of bees from their roost.And right in the center of the flowing apiary, proud and confident,_ the _queen bee, floated Tokimi herself.Their forces were overwhelming," another simple hum sounded as more data was retrieved. "That fateful day," he said with a hint of sadness, "Emperor Azusa, Lady Misaki, Lady Funaho and several other nobles died.Would like me to name them?"

Tenchi did not answer.He simply stared at the feet of the old man.There were no surges of emotions, no thrashing fits, no screams of frustration, in the past day his emotions were overused and were now blunt.He was insensitive, felt no feelings.He just sat, and thought.The old man continued.

"It was glorious!Well, from what I heard anyways.My data comes from the records of the only ship that escaped, a prototype reconnaissance ship found in the back of the fleet.They detected a surge of intense energy from the dying flagship… energy equivalent to one Light Hawk Wing!" he said energetically, "That truly is inspiring… before he died the Emperor created a Light Hawk Wing.Who knows what potential lies in the men and women of Jurai?"

The rhetorical question was obviously intended to motivate Tenchi but all it succeeded in doing was annoy.Again the old man did his best to ignore Tenchi's indifferent attitude and spoke on.

"In the year 326, the 23rd day of the 3rd quarter, at approximately 1500 hours, Ayeka Jurai became the Empress of Jurai.

"Yosho, the only son of the Emperor, and the 'legitimate' heir, disappeared several millennia ago in pursuit of the space pirate Ryoko.He has never been found since," the old man leaned over and cupped his mouth,"but rumor is it that he is still alive, and that Emperor Azusa, Queens Misaki and Funaho, and the Empress Ayeka knew his whereabouts."He leant back into his chair."Whether it was luck or a brilliant and thought out tactic, Tokimi killed all 4 within the period of a week."He paused in silent reverence, the computer hummed again, then he continued.

"The location of the young Empress would become the site of one of the most bloodiest and most decisive battles in the Universal War.She happened to be on leave on the planet Earth, a small planet, which, until the beginning of the War, had no significance other than being the First Queen's homeworld.Because the Earth was a primitive planet with rather archaic forms of inter-space communication, the Empress remained ignorant of her new title and she remained with only two guardians to defend her as the forces of Tokimi ravaged a beeline path through the galaxy directly to the Princess' location.

"Entire fleets of the Jurain navy were rerouted, regrouped, and sent to the Earth in the most chaotic troop movement in Jurain military history.It became a desperate interception attempt that left the planet of Jurai itself vulnerable for the sake of rescuing the Empress.

"Ships of the 32nd Fleet, one of the largest and most powerful fleets in the navy, were the closest ships.They were guarding a rich but minor noble of the Jurain court named Seiryo and easily abandoned their posts for an opportunity to save the Empress.The commander of this fleet, Admiral Suwo Kazunari, made the first tactical error when he decided to send his entire fleet in a movement toward Earth rather than choosing to leave a relief force or attempting a two group pincer movement against Tokimi's flanks.Several classes of ships were in the fleet, including the _Behemoth _class, a large but extremely slow ship.The entire fleet was slowed by the large ships- the chain is as strong as it's weakest link.

"The fleet _did, _however, reach Earth before Tokimi's fleet, by only a couple hours. The Admiral quickly located the Empress by locking onto the guardians.The guardians were transmitted information on their mistress' new status; they in return transmitted location coordinates. 

"From that point, data is sketchy.The fleet formed a hedgehog defense around the Empress' location.The very moment the Admiral got _both _the Empress and her sister, Princess Sasami, into different flagships, Tokimi's fleet reached Earth.Kazunari's fleet was too dense, friendly fire and collisions were the biggest vice.In the chaos of the battle the ships of the Empress and the princess were felled.Tokimi's troops were deployed at this point:it became clear that her intent was to assassinate the Empress.Her reasons to obliterate the Royal Family seemed unjustified; the planet of Jurai was undefended yet Tokimi still went after Ayeka" The old man hunched over mischievously again."I believe, however, that Empress Sasami knows Tokimi's intentions.But to discuss this would be off subject, no?"

Tenchi made a mental note.

"In response to Tokimi's troop deployment, Kazunari deployed all of his troops, and scuttled all ships except the flagships to make maneuvering space.The battle shifted from space to ground.Approximately 3 million of Tokimi's 'soldiers,' which were later discovered to only be tangible extensions of Tokimi's power, technically the war is being waged against only one person, against 1.7 million Jurain troops.During the battle, the main objective was to locate the Empress.A secondary was to find the princess.

"An hour and thirty minutes into the battle an extremely massive outburst of energy was detected in the area.This outburst," the old man said, slowly and grimly, "is believed to be the cause of Empress' Ayeka's death.Autopsy reports end Ayeka's reign as Empress on the year 326, on the 24th day of the 3rd quarter, at approximately 1900 hours."

Tenchi eradicated his anger and sadness by gritting his teeth.

"About two hours into the battle, the local GP officers, Mihoshi Kuramitsu, and Kiyone Makibi, succeeded in locating Princess Sasami.She was successfully evacuated in Kazunari's ship.An hour after Princess Sasami's evacuation, Tokimi instantly withdrew her troops.Five hundred thousand Jurain troops died that day."He paused again.

"A young lieutenant found Empress' Ayeka's body in a clearing on one of the mountains on a island chain on Earth called the Japans.Instantly news of her death was transmitted to his superior, and then directly to Jurai.On the same day at 2400 hours, Princess Sasami officially became Empress, and she _was believed _to be the only Royal Family member left alive.Because Tokimi was obviously trying to eradicate the Royal Family, fleets were rerouted again and a defense line of gargantuan proportions was constructed all across the galaxy.Tokimi's forces returned to the area they came from.At this point, the Galaxy Police decided to fully convert itself from a police force to a full-fledged military organization.In the swift transformation police stations were converted to drafting stations; young police officers received title changes:from detective to first lieutenant.Several men and women were willing to join and thus a powerful ally to Jurai was born.Their named was changed but remained simple, Galaxy Defense Force."Images of Mihoshi and Kiyone ran through Tenchi's mind… that was so long ago.Again he heard the old man's voice drone on. "The Jurain lines were fortified with the additional troops.The scene was set up for the Universal War."He stopped, "Now how exactly do you want me to continue… you said you wanted everything that happened since the death of Empress Ayeka, that's a little to vague, my boy, please specify,"

Tenchi looked into the older man's eyes thoughtfully."Tell me what happens to the Royal Family."

The old man looked back, thoughtlessly, of course, because he was a hologram."Well, ok," he finally answered, and with a small smile he said, "But that's still a little to vague.Empress Sasami, Empress Sasami, she was seven-hundred-"

Tenchi knew where he was going and interrupted with, "Um… biological Earth years please."

The old man raised an eyebrow. "Yes, you are an odd little one indeed.I believe was… eight years old, yes."

"Of course, the Empress was too young to rule over the Empire so a council was hastily constructed to deal with both military and non-military matters.The little Empress became a symbol; other men and woman would do the hard work.

"Unfortunately, this time period, under the reign of the council, would become the bloodiest and most unsuccessful period of the war.Tokimi made vast, sweeping movements with her armies, easily defeating several minor planets. She seemed to have two goals in mind; first, she was looking for something, that something still remains unknown, because she would sometimes even reverse the directions of her army and _go away _from the planet.However, when analysts looked at the big picture Jurai looks to be the ultimate objective.

A holographic map that had no significance to Tenchi rose between him and the old man.Thousands, even millions of tiny points of light were packed tightly together before him in what he assumed was a map of the known universe.In the center, glowing a bright violet color was what obviously was Jurai itself.

A small red flash flickered briefly in a remote corner of the map.Tenchi watched silently as a small, thin, red line emerged from the flash and went directly to a small, unimpressive dot.On contact, a small label that read FIRST BATTLE OF THE EARTH appeared next to the dot… it was Earth.Shortly afterwards, the red spread out from the original entrance point like a pool of blood, silently devouring pinpoint after pinpoint, slowly making a large envelope with the planet of Jurai in the center.Small markers appeared where important battles took place. Earth, he noted, was left alone after the first battle.

"The council just was not able to handle Tokimi's onslaught.Things looked grim until one fateful day in the year 330, Empress Sasami, decided just to watch one of the military conferences concerning defense of a major planet.She was… twelve biological earth years old."The old man smiled."In the middle of the conference, the young Empress interrupted a discussion and made a long, drawn out suggestion.The military commanders where amazed.Empress Sasami had suggested a brilliant tactical move that had been overlooked by the commanders.Following their liege-lady's orders, they made the movement and the attack and made a gaping hole in Tokimi's lines.

A light blue colored filled all the vacant spots that had not been engulfed by the red.In an area of high density, the blue mass projected an amoeboid like extension into the red that quickly expanded to take back several lost planets.

"The council discovered that Empress Sasami was beginning to receive her Jurai powers, and to their surprise they discovered that Sasami's tree was the royal tree Tsunami itself. Quickly they returned control of Jurai to the Empress.

"Under new command the Jurain army made several advances into enemy territory.The first attack had caught Tokimi by surprise, but quickly she covered and the Jurain offense lost its momentum.For the next four years the War was locked in a deadly stalemate that resulted in the unnecessary loss of millions of lives.

The old man shifted in his seat."Um…" he said warily, " this may seem to be going off subject, but this _does _concern the Royal Family."He raised one eyebrow and quickly said, "Why am I telling you this again?This story is supposed to be _engrained _in the minds of young Jurains… it's a universal legend!"

"Please continue!"Tenchi said, irritably.

"Ok…anyways, like in all wars, there were 'independent' parties and 'rebels' who fought for freedom _behind _enemy lines.Two rebels became extremely famous during the course of the war for their continuous success.Their names were…" Tenchi took a breath of anticipation, "Tenchi and Ryoko."

Tenchi's mind floated a little bit at the old man's shocking yet expected conclusion.Again he felt like he was dreaming… when the old man had said "Tenchi" he had said it so… _differently. _Tenchi was used to hearing the word "Tenchi" when being addressed, or being talked to, but the _simple tone _that the old man had said his name in made him feel that this "Tenchi," this valiant rebel, this symbol of freedom, this veritable Robin Hood, _was not him._ He reasserted the statement by saying out loud… "This person… is not me."He ignored the old man's inquisitive looked and he organized his thoughts: _I am no longer Tenchi Masaki… I am no longer the boy on whom fate decided to bestow the love of six wonderful women…I am no longer the teenager who _killed _Empress Ayeka… I am not, I never was the man who fought against this 'Tokimi' for 'liberty and justice for all.'I am… a person… a person sent… to save the universe… from this boy, this man, this _mistake…_ named _Tenchi.

Anticlimactically, ignorant of Tenchi's monumental and emotional decision, the old man continued his story."The symbolic couple became… _a legend._Their achievements did not go unnoticed; Empress Sasami publicly requested audiences with them, but the only reply she ever received from them was news of their next success.They seemed to overcome insurmountable, impossible odds; they destroyed fleets, recaptured entire planets by themselves… some say they even had a few skirmishes with Tokimi … and they did this while remaining unseen to the people of the universe.They were recognized only by their characteristically shaped ship… other than that, they were known only for the names and achievements. 

"Meanwhile, on Jurain, Empress Sasami began to loose her hold on the precariously balanced stalemate that had occurred for over four years. Slowly but surely, Tokimi resumed her advance toward Jurai."As if to hold the suspense, the old man paused again.

"Tenchi and Ryoko, of course, recognized this, and finally acknowledged it.In the year 334, they made their first appearance in the Royal Court.Lady Ryoko revealed to the Empress and the people of Jurai a shocking secret… Lord Tenchi was," something bothered Tenchi about the way the old man spoke… he felt it, it nagged him in the back of his mind, but the old man gave no pause for reflection and talked on, "in actuality _the lost grandson of Yosho!"_

The tidbit of information that was supposed to be shocking, or even motivational, failed to faze Tenchi.With the curious raising of an eyebrow the old man went on."Yup, he was the grandson of Yosho alright." Again something annoyed Tenchi about the way the old man talked… he couldn't quite pin it down.Was it his tone? His composure?His diction?Oblivious, the old man continued."After strenuous tests and verification that he was _indeed _a member of the Royal Family, and the grandson of Yosho at that, Lord Tenchi and Lady Sasami were wed and…

Tenchi interrupted quickly, "Tell me, how old were they?!"He really wasn't keeping track of the meaningless Jurain years the old man mentioned every so often.

"In _biological earth years," _the old man said with a sarcastic grin, "Lord Tenchi was 25 years old, Empress Sasami was 16."

Even though moments ago he had denied his identity he was still daunted by the fact that he had married Sasami.She had always been his kid sister, the cheerful little girl of his life, the sweet voice that, with the sound of sizzling food in the background, had always waken him up in the morning; she was the voice of reason, the happy medium between Ayeka and Ryoko, she was pure life, pure energy…he loved her dearly, as a sister but he never considered marrying her, _loving _her as a wife…

"Show me a picture, please."

"Excuse me?"

"A picture.Of the Emperor and the Empress.On their wedding day."

There he was, or rather, there Tenchi was, older, taller, more mature, and obviously very, very tired.He was looking up, over the camera, but it wasn't a look of hope, it was a look of desperation, a look of worry; the simple burden of love and care for his new wife was evident in his face.Next to him stood Sasami, older than the little girl that he'd known, younger than the inspirational woman he had seen earlier.Her eyebrows were arched in concern, she looked down at her hand, gently clasped by his, viewing it, and the marriage, with both anticipation and apprehension.The countless and nameless faces in the background all carried solemn looks.It seemed more like a funeral than a marriage.

The old man nodded with pride as he viewed his liege lord."Yes, he was a great man, indeed."

It struck him with full force…a single solitary word, jarred through his head and pierced his mind, _He said "was!"Was… was…!WAS! The old man is using _past tense_! Is it possible that…_

"After Lord Tenchi took up the mantle as Emperor of Jurai, his people prospered.Motivated by their new liege lord, and powered by the massive, combined Jurain energy of both Lord Tenchi and Lady Sasami, the Jurain military executed massive offensives and planets were retaken by the thousands."

On the map, large swaths of blue cut quickly and violently through the red throb and easily outsized the tiny extension that had been made when Sasami had become Empress._This was all his and Sasami's doing._

The old man clapped happily as the blue blob grew larger and larger.Abruptly the advance on the map stopped, and the old man's grin slowly turned into a thin smirk.

"This is the status of the universe as of the year 336.On the verge of her collapse, Tokimi's reasons for leaving the Earth alone suddenly became clear.On the 32nd day of the 2nd quarter, Tokimi shifted _all _of her forces in an attack toward the tiny, undefended planet.In a speech later that day, Lord Tenchi announced that the Earth was his homeworld, and that he was going to personally lead the defense.We're not sure whether he knew it or not, but that was exactly what Tokimi wanted him to do.In a bold move, he shifted 98 percent of his forces towards the Earth in an attempt to box the enemy in."

The giant blue mass followed the smaller red one into a thick, dense, purple mass surrounding the Earth.A small halo of blue was left around Jurai.The rest of the galaxy was void of any military force, save sporadic Galaxy Defense Force outposts.

"Thus the Second Battle of the Earth began.It would turn it to be the largest and most important battle ever fought in the War.It occurred over a span of 7 months and was waged over the entire planetary system the Earth was located in.Logistically, the Jurain forces consisted of 534,694 ships and over 152 billion soldiers. Tokimi's numbers amounted to approximately 358,986 ships and countless soldiers.

"At that battle, Tokimi showed herself for the second time."

A blurry picture formed between Tenchi and the old man. There was his enemy.He examined her closely; the picture was very fuzzy but the woman was very unique in her appearance and would be easily recognizable.She was lunging forward, her face was contorted in a primal battle cry; her blue, feline like eyes were narrowed and glaring, and her eyebrows were furrowed in an expression of anger.Her head was covered by an odd, gray skullcap except for a few strands of red hair held in place by a gold medallion that lay in the middle of her forehead.The loose strands of hair flowed elegantly behind her head with her cape and robe, indicating her great speed.Her right arm was extended and her palm was pointing outwards; her left arm held a gently glowing green sword halfway through a violent downward slash. And at the receiving end of the blow was none other than his own sword, the Master Key, Tenchiken.

"The battle between Lord Tenchi and Tokimi was the primary focus of the battle.These pictures were taken by a GDF correspondent.They are displayed in chronological order."

What followed was a simple slideshow.Tenchi observed them as he would pictures in his history book… after all, in this timeframe, these pictures _were _history.In the first picture, he saw himself thrusting forward, his ornamental clothes fluttering wildly, as Tokimi ducked and began a counter-lunge.The next picture he saw Tokimi score a direct hit, right on the hilt of Tenchiken.The following frame showed Tenchiken shattered on the floor; in the instant between the shots he had summoned the wings and was coming down on Tokimi with a powerful two-sword slash.The last picture showed Tokimi answer with a wave of black energy.Both stared into each others'eyes.Through their squinting eyes and twisted faces he could see their emotions.Tokimi was simply fighting a battle… he, on the other hand, showed pure fury… fury that reminded him of his lost love, Ayeka._He knew_ how that man he saw in the picture felt. 

"The wave you see in this picture destroyed all organic material within a 257 mile radius, excluding the Emperor.The camera was picked up after the duel had moved elsewhere."

The old man sighed."The battle… ended in defeat.The duel raged on, and after that point in time could not be monitored because of the magnificent amounts of energy radiating from the pair.Meanwhile, losses grew to gargantuan proportions as the Jurains and Tokimi's soldiers fought.From the time these pictures were taken, the duel lasted for 5 months and 17 days.At the end of this period, a massive explosion destroyed the second and third planets of the system.We don't know exactly when, where, how, and _why…_but this explosion is believed to have been the cause of the death of Emperor Tenchi."

Tenchi smirked.So he died.He knew this already.

"We know the Emperor died because several minutes after the explosion, the energies of the tree ships of the fleets dropped to almost nil.However, we believe Tokimi was also caught in the blast because several of her troops instantly and simultaneously disappeared with the drop in the tree's power.

"That marked the end of the Second Battle of Earth.The loss was not in vain, however, because the adverse effects of the massive explosion are obviously still with Tokimi today.For four years now our forces and Tokimi's have been locked in another indefinite stalemate."

He asked the question out of the blue."What has happened of Lady Ryoko?"

The old man answered just as abruptly."She disappeared three months before the Second Battle."

With a quick, unconscious thank you, Tenchi bolted out of the room. His immediate objective lay clear in his mind.

"Yes."The old man said as the door slammed shut."That is an odd one.And he looks very familiar at that."He limped slowly to the room console, typed up a few words, and then disappeared back into nothingness.After bestowing upon a young boy both the history of the universe and the responsibility to save it, the room became dark once again.

He found himself running through the palace hallways. With Washu's subliminal guidance he dashed through the maze reassured the he would reach his destination. As he ran the hallway widened and the ceiling began to rise until it was blanketed by a misty has emitted by the organic aspect of the palace.The ornaments sporadically dotted the walls and gradually he could begin to see the grain of wood become more pronounced as he ran. He was heading somewhere of obvious importance: the living center of the palace.

Unexpectedly a small, unremarkable ornament shimmered with life and quickly darted across the great distance between the wall and Tenchi.Startled, Tenchi screeched to halt and almost fell over but managed to keep his composure in front of what he believed to be a Royal Bodyguard.

His hunch was confirmed when the artificial grain of wood hissed away from the humanoid figure before him revealing an older, simply dressed Jurain soldier.The standard, dazzling robes of the Royal Bodyguards he had seen with his great grandfather were absent with this man.Instead of impressing him with a grand appearance, this bodyguard simply intimidated him by wearing his weapons and devices in plain sight before him.The guard wore a simple gray tunic.That tunic, however, was dotted with several electronic devices.Wires extended from these small devices and all over his clothes and limbs.In his right hand he held the traditional fighting stick, in his left hand he held a rather nasty looking gun-shaped weapon.Strapped to his back were two swords, one long, and one short, which eerily reminded him of his grandfather and the ancient Japanese samurais back home.He wondered how many hidden guards he passed on his way to the throne room.It just happened to be this one, a large, muscular man with a sadistic look in his face, that stopped him.

"Where are you going," he narrowed his eyes and he continued with contempt, "…soldier?"

Tenchi answered with firm resolve."I will see Empress Sasami."

"Is this some sort of joke?"He leveled his gun with Tenchi's face.The end of the barrel of the gun was mere inches from the tip of the nose."Because in times like these, _soldier," _he spat the word out, "jokes can be punishable by death."

Tenchi didn't flinch."I will see Empress Sasami."

The soldier grunted and his face constricted into an angry grimace.In a fraction of a second Tenchi's adrenaline flared as he saw the man's hands tense up on the trigger.Instinctively he kicked the gun into the air and followed up by attempting to take the stick.

The bodyguard was no amateur.He took advantage of Tenchi's awkward position by slamming his bruised but free left hand into Tenchi's arched body and followed up by kneeing the boy in the stomach.Quickly he stepped back and crouched into defense in anticipation of Tenchi's counterattack, but instead he caught a glimpse of the boy grasping his stomach while coughing up phlegm.

He grinned and said through his tightly held lips, "Infidel."The devices that dotted his tunic sprang into life and blinked furiously as the man rubbed his bruised hand.The hallways turned a dim red color and a constant but gentle alarm sounded through the hallway.

Fueled by the hellish red light that now surrounded him, Tenchi got up, and stared calmly into the bodyguard's eyes.With a slight twitch of his cheek, he signaled, _Come and get me. _The man responded of course and lunged right at Tenchi's torso.

Tenchi waited for the right moment… the man came so close that it seemed that being smothered by the oncoming freight train would be inescapable for him, but suddenly and with great agility he jumped into the air, landed on the man hunched back with his left hand and snatched blindly at the double swords.In a quick blur he flipped and landed, finding the bodyguard, raging mad, looking at him over his shoulder.

He snickered at the irony.He had gotten the shorter sword.

The man emitted a low, tiger-like growl, tossed aside his stick, and smoothly unsheathed his long sword.With a challenging _hmph, _he crouched once again into a fighting stance.

Together they charged it each other, brandishing their weapons with full force, the bodyguard intent on killing the spy, Tenchi thinking about how he could disable the man without killing him.

He heard the ear-piercing _clang _of the contact of their swords; the man's power was overwhelming, his arms twisted unnaturally and he strained just to prevent his tendons from being ripped apart.He lost his grip and the hilt of the sword swiftly slippedthrough his palms and landed with a dull thud on the wooden floor.The body guard raised his sword high over his head and grinned.A deep indent scarred the otherwise perfect surface where his sword met Tenchi's.

It was then he saw the organic lump off to the side, a couple meters to his left, it's shape enhanced by the dull red glow._The gun!_ He pivoted his waist and started a quick sprint toward what seemed to be the only salvation other than the Light Hawk Wings themselves.Unfortunately he still hadn't perfected his use with the Wings and at his stage of maturity the Wings only came out in times of intense emotional distress.Now, he felt no emotions, all he felt then was the adrenaline coursing through his body.

He heard the_ thump _that marked the end of the man's downward swing into the ground; a heartbeat later, in his mid-sprint, his feet were swept off the ground and soundlessly his head hit the floor, blurring his sight as the blunt pain flowed down his neck.Still motivated, he twisted around and heard a loud rip.As he staggered into a rather weak stance, he saw the bodyguard struggling with his sword, embedded into the ground and pinning down a white, jaggedly torn piece of cloth.He examined his clothes and he realized the swing had barely missed him; instead it held his cape in the ground and caused him to flip over as he tried to leap into a sprint.

The bodyguard saw Tenchi's disorientation and with another sadistic grin he began to march slowly towards him, swinging his sword lazily around him.Tenchi stumbled forward as the bodyguard came within arm's length and threw a slow weak punch that sailed into the man's lower leg and bounced off harmlessly.In response, he felt the man round kick him face first into the floor.He felt the large surface of the man's foot hold him in place and he heard the shifting of the man's tunic as he raised his sword for the final blow.

_This is it._Tenchi thought.He just felt… to lazy to summon the Wings.He knew that if he tried it would be fruitless anyways.He stopped resisting and he felt his entire body relax and slump on the floor._Either I'm gonna die or Washu's gonna come through and pull me back to my timline. _He closed his eyes.

Through his eyelids he saw the lights return to normal and he heard the alarms fade off with the resounding of a strong, female, "Stop!"

With great reluctance he opened his eyes, hoping that all of it had been a dream, and only a dream.His hopes were left unfulfilled.From his position on the floor he could see that ridiculous ornamental wall.He felt the foot lift itself off his back.With a painful groan he rolled over, and through his upside-down eyes he saw the bodyguard enter a bow. Overcoming the aches that flowed through his body as he moved, he managed to prop himself into a similar kneeling position, knowing that his death had been delayed by some sort of superior, someone superior to even the Empresses' own bodyguards.

The hard feminine voice spoke again in a short burst, "Get up."

He waited for the bodyguard to get up before he tiresomely pulled his body off the floor.He raised his head last and as he recovered from the blow to his head and as his eyes adjusted to the bright light his vision cleared and he saw his savior.It was that beautifully impressive woman that had stood at Sasami's right side.

"You have done your job well Kazuma but this boy is _not_ an enemy and did _not _deserve a beating.Take leave and reflect on your impulsive actions."She was unnaturally still.Only her lips moved as she spoke.She seemed to be shielding her true intentions from Tenchi and the bodyguard.

With a curt "Yes ma'am." Kazuma headed to the nearest wall, pressed his open palm against it, and went through.Another secret passageway, although he never had been to the palace he new from stories that it harbored many secrets…stories that had been told to him by… Ayeka.

Brushing away all thoughts of his past, he humbled himself before this angel of salvation by entering a kneeling position and bowing his head."Thank you, my Lady…" he mumbled, but they were words of the heart.

"Get up Tenchi." 

He looked up, startled by being addressed by his name by this stranger, and he saw the woman's two lovely blue eyes.They were glossed over; streams of tears on her cheeks reflected the bright palace lights.Her eyes told volumes, volumes about a woman who fought in the war, a hardened veteran, a valiant leader, a close companion to the war-weary Empress, but for some reason they failed to give Tenchi any hint of who the woman was.

"Please Tenchi, get up.Don't bow Tenchi! _Tenchi! _Don't you recognize me?"

Tenchi stayed kneeling.Every time she spoke his name it felt like a dagger was being thrust deeper and deeper into his heart. Trembling, the woman fell on her knees in front of him.She was crying, _emotional, _so different from the woman who had just commanded one of the most ruthless men he'd ever met into obedience.

"Tenchi… it's me… Mihoshi…"

END PART TWO


	3. Part 3-Divine Beauty

He knelt there for a while, cradling the woman gently in his arms while attempting to console her

Unreal Destiny

Part 3:Divine Beauty

Disclaimer:Ack.See part 1.And don't forget Buddha loves you.

He knelt there and cradled the woman in his arms, letting her release her emotions.He could tell that her feelings were jumbled now, that she was feeling the paradoxical yet quite common emotion of both grief and joy.It was an emotion he knew well and an emotion that he shared with her at that moment.Her face was buried in his clothing; silently he looked at the top of her head, he felt the cold tears soak into his clothing and touch his skin, he listened to her sobbing, and desperately he searched for some sign, some slight resemblance to the Mihoshi he knew.But his search was fruitless, the woman he held in his arms was foreign to him, and the only bond he could feel between them was the shared feelings of sadness.Any connection ended there, they even were unhappy for different reasons.With as much care and gentleness he could muster he attempted to console the woman… Mihoshi.It was all pretense however.His touch was cold and distant, his words were empty.

The woman tilted her head back and her short sandy hair tumbled awkwardly over her face, held together in clumps by her tears.For the first time he saw her eyes up close and he shivered._There _was the Mihoshi he was looking for.The unkempt hair, the distraught face, and especially her beautiful blue eyes, all betrayed a lost innocence, and it was _that _innocence, once buried deep within her, revealed for the first time in many years, _that _innocence was _his _Mihoshi.

He couldn't help but smile.His secret weapon: the smile that always perked Mihoshi up; every single time he found her unhappy he would use that smile, saved for only that occasion, and every time it worked. 

But she merely sat there.She was finished crying.She looked at Tenchi's smile and simply stared.He failed to see any positive effect in her.

Tenchi quit smiling.Again the horrid realization hit him, the sheer _unreality _of it all:he was in a different time, in a different place, surrounded by people he _thought _he knew.With in exhausted sigh he acknowledged his failure and he slumped over as far as he could without completely falling over.

He found himself being pulled up by Mihoshi's surprisingly strong grip.He raised his head just in time to see Mihoshi walking away, flicking her wrist as an indication to follow.For a couple seconds he observed her as she walked.Her heels clicked and her body moved with military discipline and precision that contrasted strongly against the absent minded, ditzy skip he envisioned in his memories.Like before, he discarded his memories as false information, and he began the strenuous process of _accepting _the new Mihoshi before him.

The room was dark, cramped, and offered no aesthetic reprieves for anyone who dared to brave the uninviting dullness.It was quite the opposite of the type of room Tenchi thought a powerful woman like Mihoshi would get.

Along with the dour atmosphere Tenchi also noticed that lack of all the standard office items: no desk, no papers, no computer monitors.There was a single, solitary chair in the middle of the room that was overall unremarkable except for a small plug box near the headrest.Over the chair, barely illuminated by the light that spilled through the open door, he could make out a semi-sphere attached to the ceiling.He made a note to ask what it was for, as a possible conversational distraction in case things got too morbid.

Mihoshi politely let him in first.He stepped to the side to make space for her entrance.With her first step the room abruptly came to life in a manner similar to the archive room.Lights on the chair blinked to life, causing it to shine brilliantly like a Christmas tree.The semi sphere turned out to be a mass projector, spilling thin lines of green and red onto the walls, adding to the Christmas-like spirit.Gaily the colors green and red danced around the walls like static.Upon further inspection, Tenchi saw that the lines were actually script, and the dancing colors were just a result of the different scrolling rates.He was amazed, the words were extremely small, and he wondered how anyone could make good use of the writing.The door shut automatically and he gasped in wonder as he beheld the complexity of the once boring room.Words, charts, graphs, and pictures were on every square inch: on the floor, the shut door, that chair, and even on their bodies.He prompted a girlish giggle from Mihoshi as he squinted, trying to make out the characters on his hand.

"Wait one second please, Tenchi.I need to do this."

Another chair appeared from the floor, and immediately was attacked by the red and green emanating from the projector. Like in the archive room, the chair, with a life of it's own, pushed into Tenchi's lower legs and caused him to involuntarily sit down.Opposite him, Mihoshi sat down in the other chair, on her own, and settled comfortably in the ergonomic contours.

He struggled simply just to see her.Everything was covered in the script and she blended in perfectly with the chair and the background.He raised his hand to his own face, to reassure himself that he was really in this dream world, and he found it only because the script on his it happened to be closer than the script on the opposite wall.Again he looked up, and barely made out Mihoshi's face:the script did not go directly into her eyes and so the two dark ovals were very prominent among the glowing room. It all fascinated him…

Suddenly the text ceased its chaotic movement and aggregated into dense, neatly organized clusters on the left wall.

Then, in a manner similar to sand in an hourglass, strands of text left the wall, slipped by an area where Tenchi believed Mihoshi's face to be, and reorganized themselves on the opposite wall.Barely half a second passed until all text was on the other wall.Tenchi blinked in awe.

She read it.All of the script.

The text slowly faded into the wall as the normal lights were brought up.Tenchi felt a yearning soon afterwards: the bright colors aroused in him a festivity that would certainly be hard to get back.

Mihoshi was slumped over in her seat, eyes glazed over, pupils dilated and her mouth open in a dumbfounded expression that allowed spittle to seep down her chin.

"Mihoshi!!!"He couldn't stand seeing her like that.

With a couple blinks her eyes refocused and she got pulled back into reality.

"Sorry," she said quietly, dabbing her chin with her sleeve, " I have to do that a lot."

"What was that?!"

"Reports.Battlefield conditions.Red is something bad, green is something good."

"H-how did you do that?"

"How?" she answered with a devilish grin. "This is how."She reached behind her head and tugged on something concealed in her hair.She brought it into the light for Tenchi to see.It was a long, thin needle attached to the plug box on the chair.

Tenchi was befuddled."Wha…"

She smiled again at Tenchi's confusion."It hooks my brain up to a processor that allows me to think a little faster.Makes my brain bigger.You," she said with a laugh, "of all people know that I need a bigger brain!"

"But…"

"Yeah, I look kinda funny afterwards.I find it amusing. Don't you?"

He didn't know what to say.

She sighed."This room is a little too dreary for us.Let's change the scenery a little bit."

At her command a transparent menu came up."These are some places I've saved into the computer. Most people know one's environment affects how he thinks.GDF…Galaxy Defense Force advisors made sure I had a variety to choose from."She brought her hand down the list.Tenchi, out of pure curiosity, tried to make out what kind of places Mihoshi had on the list, but couldn't read anything because not only was he seeing it backwards, it was in her species' handwriting.Her hand quivered over one selection.It was quick, almost unnoticeable, but Tenchi caught it and decided to look at the list again to find out what was bothering her.Although it was mirror image, he recognized the hiragana and kanji characters.

Masaki Household.He wasn't the only one having a hard time discarding the past.Things were wonderful back then…

However, her hand continued on and pressed on another illegible choice.

After an unimpressive coruscation he found himself standing with Mihoshi on the balcony of an elegantly designed condo.All of a sudden, everything _felt _wonderful.They were high in the mountains, the sun was setting in the distance, and despite the high altitude a warm, moist, sea-like breeze enveloped them.

"My home." She said as she looked to the sun.

The fading light of the sun brought out the rich blue of Mihoshi's eyes and the wind carefully, and almost deliberately picked up her short silky hair and tossed it lazily about her face, giving her a haphazard, natural look that pulled from Tenchi's hidden, buried soul the _love _that he had for her.Sasami was definitely right:those things obtained easily are taken lightly.Long ago, these 6 women _came to him, _simplyas a result of his curiosity and mischievousness, and as he looked at Mihoshi he reluctantly admitted to himself that he had taken them for granted.His journey through time, as the "savior" of the universe was alone, _he had lost the girls, _and with this loss came the realization that he had hidden his true feelings for them.Now, as he beheld the women he knew, one by one, from a totally different perspective, he couldn't help but let his emotions resurface.Minutes ago he had shed his identity and with that, his feelings..All it took was an encounter with Mihoshi Kuramitsu, the beautiful star, to regain his love, and his drive, not to save all time, but to save his loved ones.With the assistance of the artificial world she was in, Mihoshi had an unreal, intangible, and almost _divine _beauty radiating from her.Involuntary he mouthed his thoughts, _beautiful._

Mihoshi was too perceptive.She turned to Tenchi with her lips slightly open in an inquisitive look.

"You've changed." was all he could muster.

Mihoshi jumped at the thought.It was new to her."You know," she said, once again resuming her place against the balustrade, "you are so right. I've changed.Physically, yes."She ran picked up a lock of her hair, brought if before her eyes, then carelessly flicked it away."I had to shave my head for the implant surgery.Never cut it since but it's never regained the grandeur it used to have."Delicately she ran her fingers across the fair skin of her arm."As a commander of GDF, I don't see the sun anymore.Sure I see stars, I see them from space.But I don't _feel _them, like I did the Earth's sun.

She looked up with her eyes narrowed in grief. "You know how many people have died under my command Tenchi? Over twenty two billion, three thousand five hundred and sixty three.I have that many names and faces permanently etched into my memory.Long ago, I received my title change, from detective to cadet.I was placed in a unit. I was shipped off to battles.I cried when my Lieutenant told me when my partner Michel died today, or my comrade Mariko was caught in a blast.And I remembered all of them.Then, I was promoted to Lieutenant myself.Not because I was good at what I did.Only because all the Lieutenants in my unit were killed.I still got reports that Ishido died instantly from an energy discharge, or that Isolde was missing, but only this time, I was responsible.I remembered them all.And all I could do for them was cry.Then I got promoted again.That time I got lists, lists that had dozens of names, killed or missing, and although it became harder, I remembered all their faces.And I cried for each one of them.I got promoted again, and again, and again, lists of the dead became books, books became sets.And I remembered them all.I was so helpless, so I cried.For all my life I've had luck relentlessly pursue me to the ends of the universe.When I was Detective Mihoshi I silently cherished my luck, and with it I cheated death several times.But during the war, I hated it. I wanted to die."She paused.

"After the Second Battle of the Earth, the Supreme Commander was killed, and I took his place.At that promotion, twenty two billion, three thousand, five hundred and sixty three men and woman had died under my command.I can name you all of them.Later that day, I received my first casualty report.A number.It was a number.As I went through the detailed lists, in a desperate attempt to remember all the names, I came across one that changed me forever.Missing in action.Kiyone Makibi.I stopped counting that day Tenchi!_I stopped crying!Damnit Tenchi, yes, I've changed!"_

Mihoshi collapsed on the floor and began to weep. She sought no comfort from Tenchi.She even turned away, and dragged herself feebly to the other side of the balcony, in shame.

She shed tears of loneliness.

Life renewed by the strength of the woman before him, Tenchi knelt before Mihoshi, pulled her around, and let her cry on his shoulder as he gave sincere words of comfort.But hedid _not_ cry.

"So, are you going to claim the throne?"

The simple question startled him. "Wh-what?"

They were in her cramped office again.Mihoshi sat before him, emotionally drained and in no mood for fantasy worlds.He had explained his presence and Washu's plan to pass the time.Abruptly she had regained her composure and assaulted him with the shocking question.

"What were you planning on doing?" She asked skeptically.

"I-I don't… I don't know."

"You should reclaim the throne." Mihoshi said, leaning back into her chair."Envision the situation, Tenchi.A young mysterious vagabond appears out of the blue, claiming to be heir to the throne.After marriage with the reigning Empress, the Jurian army pummels Tokimi's to near death.But he dies.However… years later the Emperor returns, _the _Phoenix rising from the ashes, and bids his army to resume the fight.Can you imagine how high morale will be?If you take the throne?It could give us the edge we need to get out of this standstill."

"Will it?" Tenchi responded, baring what he thought was the truth, looking straight into Mihoshi's eyes."I am not Emperor Tenchi, Mihoshi.I'm a confused boy sent with a mission but not an objective."

"I am _giving _you you're objective." She said, almost shouting.Frustrated, she leaned forward and pounded her fist on the armrest."It will work, Tenchi, you need to become Emperor!"Never before had Tenchi seen Mihoshi so decisive.

"I have to think about it… I have to do what my gut tells me to do."

Defeated, Mihoshi sagged back into the chair, and sighed, "Do you think you're gut will reroute the course of history?"

"What I need to do will come to me.It always does."

As if on cue, the intercom on the chair beeped.

"Yes?" Mihoshi said as she pressed a button.Her tone was different.It was concealing.

"Sorry to interrupt, Commander.Do you have a guest with you?"

"Yes."She shot a nervous glance at Tenchi.

"Lady Sasami sends her most sincere apologies, but she must see your guest, immediately."

Without wavering at all, Mihoshi responded."The Lady's will is my command."

"Very well Commander.A detachment will be sent to escort the boy to the Empress."Another beep ended the conversation.

She looked up, her face beaming with renewed strength and resolve, and she said, "Go Tenchi.Of all the girls, Sasami needs you the most."

Slowly and reluctant Tenchi lifted himself from the seat."When should I come again?"

She waited until he reached the door."Don't worry about seeing me again.In times like these, our next encounter is inevitable." 

Tenchi smiled, and Mihoshi smiled back.He left her wondering if he would really ever see her again.

The symphony of the escort's footsteps relentlessly echoed back and forth in the massive hallway.Only Tenchi's staggered, uneven steps shattered the perfect synchronization.

Time was beginning to take its toll. His legs felt like they were full of lead, and his eyelids were heavy.It had been… how long?How long ago since had woken up in Washu's lab?He brushed the useless thought aside.All that mattered was he was very, very tired, and he needed some sleep.After all, how could he bear the fate of the universe and _not _get tired?

Despite his weariness, the two massive oak doors that appeared out of the mist like titanic wraiths did not fail to impress him.As they neared the doors, he squinted in an effort to find the top of the gateway, but they seemed to reach into infinity.He was even more amazed when the seemingly immobile doors swiftly swung open to accept him, nearly knocking over with a gigantic front of air.Clumsily he caught his robe and turned back around.

He was awestruck by the scene before him.Magnificent banners of brilliant colors dominated the room, assaulting the eyes of anyone who looked with the sheer grandeur and power that was Jurai.Wherever there wasn't a banner, there was a sculpture, thousands of sculptures, all telling stories of past battles won, enemies conquered long ago, and the tradition of strength that soared through the generations of the Royal Family.The strength lived to that day, tangibly represented by the countless Royal Guard that lined the walls, and by those unseen that Tenchi knew where hiding among the innumerable ornaments.Their robes cascaded together in waves as a mighty and immortal current of air swept through the hall, reminding all who entered of the eternal circulation of Jurai energy from the Royal Family to it's people.The end of the throne room was marked by a massive artificial hill, shaded and protected by Jurain trees. And there, between the two thrones on the hill, simply standing, but standing with enough grace and divine radiance as to inspire a man as downtrodden as Tenchi, was Sasami.

"Sasami…" he whispered.

"Tenchi…" she silently cried back.

Vigorously he marched the remaining distance and up the hill with the escort.Totally composed under the façade of royal etiquette, Sasami merely nodded an acknowledgement to her new guest.After reflecting for a moment, she spoke.

"Thank you.You may resume your posts.I will take the boy with me to the Tsunami's chamber."

Hesitant to defy orders, but concerned for his liege lady's well being, the captain of the guard protested."Lady Sasami, I feel I cannot allow you to be alone with this…"He looked to Tenchi and blinked upon seeing the boy's face for the first time.The boy bore a resemblance to…to…no, it couldn't be!

"Believe me when I say this boy is no threat."Sasami said, pulling the captain out of his daze.

His mind racing with thoughts, the captain bowed in obedience and left with his men.

Again, Sasami stood there and gazed into nothingness, eyes narrowed into concentration.Tenchi shuddered as he felt the stares of the Royal Guard.They weren't looking directly at him, but he could feel himself being monitored by them, each and every one of them.Sasami broke the tense silence by saying to Tenchi, "Follow me."Following the rules of courtesy etched into his mind, he walked a couple paces behind the Empress, keeping his back straight, his chest out, and his chin upward in open defiance to the relentless stares of the invisible men and women dotted throughout the palace walls. 

With a mute flash, he found himself in Tsunami's chamber, greeted with the sight of dozens of Jurain trees, around him, under him, above him, their incomprehensible rustles drifted lazily through the air, between him and Sasami as she continued forward, tall and regal.No longer under the watchful eyes of protocol, she silently beckoned him to her side.Together they walked wordlessly through the magnificent gardens of Jurai, keeping the moment.

Gently her voice broke through the whistling of the trees, " The archive master told me of an eccentric and remarkably powerful young boy wandering aimlessly through the palace."

Again there was a calm, silent pause.Their footsteps were silent, only the trees spoke.

"Then the throne room suddenly filled with an urgent energy as reports came through the network that an eccentric and remarkably powerful young soldier challenged the Captain of the Guard to a dual."

Failing to feel the right words, Tenchi continued walking, looking at the living tan of the walkway before him.

"Finally, things calmed down when the Supreme Commander of the Galaxy Defense Force resolved the situation and gave a name to the odd intruder.Strangely enough his name was the same as the late Emperor.My husband."

He didn't try to formulate a response.One wasn't necessary.

"Tenchi.Earth and sky.It's amazing what can be found in the tiny strip of atmosphere.Between the earth and sky.Isn't it?"

"Yes." He breathed.

"It's been a long time Tenchi."

Rapidly, Tenchi asked, "What's going on Sasami?"

"Tokimi.She wants universal power.And to do so, she must absorb her sisters' power."Her explanation was short, simple, and quite unbelievable to Tenchi."And, as you can probably guess, Washu is one.I am the other."

"Why all the killing?"the phrase escaped through his clenched teeth.Again the answer was short.

"I am Jurai.In order to absorb my full potential, she must destroy all Royal Family members.In doing so, their power returns to me.Until then, destruction reigns."

He stopped and looked with his weeping eyes into hers, and with great difficultly, asked, "Why Ayeka?"

Through her delicate, expressionless lips she explained again."A Royal Family tradition.The first princess is the bearer of the essence.The first princess alone knows how to summon the human essence of the trees.Without them, we are almost powerless against Tokimi's onslaught."

His face twisted into fury."_Ayeka had to die because of a God damn tradition?"_

It was then he noticed the solitary tear flowing down Sasami's cheek, its gleaming moist trail the only indicator of her sadness.Like before, the situation made words unnecessary.Tenchi's pain spoke for itself, and Sasami's divine beauty answered back.Their eyes connected that day, across the two feet of heavy Jurain air, and with that they touched souls, and were moved to embrace in a kiss, a slow, affectionate kiss through which they delved deeper into each other.Each closed their eyes to suppress the tears and the sadness, to cherish the moment in blissful oblivion, and to share only their love with the contact of their lips.And to the boy, who had been violently shoved unwillingly into a situation where he would watch his loved ones suffer and die, and to the woman, the girl at heart, who had accepted the mantle of Empress, and the love of a man who was bound to die, the passionate embrace was paradise.The held each other for what was an eternity in an unreal silence.

Silence…

Silence?

The abnormal silence hit them both at the same time.Reluctantly Sasami pulled away from the kiss. He felt her small hands tense nervously on his back.Protectively he embraced her tighter.Hurriedly, Sasami whispered, "Tenchi, _I love you!_" in his ear, and pulled away.Eagerly he tried to answer her, to assure her that he, too, truly loved her, but the words stopped in his mouth as he surveyed the seen behind her.The trees stood ghostly still, their vibrant colors gone, only to be replaced by dull, discouraging shades of black and white.It was like a still photo, the only thing he saw moving were Sasami's lips, quivering out of excitement or fear, and one, single, solitary branch jutting over the walkway from below, still retaining it's color and rustling in the wind, obviously one of royal tree Tsunami's appendages.

Seconds later, he heard the slow, deliberate, harmonic voice ring from some distance behind him."Am I interrupting?"

The sarcastic undertone jolted the hairs on the back of his neck to an erect position, his jaw bit down violently, his vision glazed over blood red, falling down to completely animalistic instincts for he knew who the voice belonged to even before he turned around.

Tokimi.

He spun around uncontrollably to face her, falling to his knees but not really caring; he stared at her cool purple eyes with his, glaring and even bulging from insanity.His heart began to beat erratically and he felt his breathing stop.His entire body devolved into one, single, action: kill. 

KILL.

The four Light Hawk Wings jumped easily from his body and sailed with him in formation as he leapt in for the kill, completely ignoring, not even hearing Sasami shrieking his name. The deadly pentagon bore down in a blurred flash towards Tokimi's throat.Right before he connected he saw the edge of Tokimi's pursed lips twist into a skeptical smirk. 

Her hand flew like lightning from under her ceremonious garbs without so much as a rustle, and easily glided through Tenchi's outstretched arms and latched onto his neck.

His momentum was almost unstoppable but Tokimi's grip was overwhelming.The connection of the unstoppable force and the immovable object climaxed in a forte, sickening crack the reverberated through the hallways, proclaiming Tokimi's victory.

"Four wings?"Tokimi asked, still with a sadistic grin on her face. "Is that all?Hah, you were much more powerful when I last saw you."

Still berserk, Tenchi tried to kick the smiling woman square in the face, but after failing to make any part of his body below the unbearable pain in his neck respond, all will power left him.No longer able to voluntary control his lungs, he allowed a low, labored wheeze to escape through his lips.Not even able to speak, he directed all his rage toward Tokimi with a vicious glare.In response, he heard Tokimi snicker and Sasami cry out his name painfully.

She savored the moment during that second, but when she felt she had enough she concluded the deadly seizure by channeling her divine power in the arm she held him with.After a brief and strangely noiseless flash, she sent Tenchi's limp, lifeless body soaring through the air in Tsunami's chamber atop a wave of pure energy.As he tumbled helplessly over the still trees he saw Sasami looking at him, her eyes widened in frustration, her mouth opened in a plea he did not hear, and her arm feebly outstretched to him.He saw her arm disappear into a flash that rivaled Tokimi's, and regained his sight to see her Light Hawk Wings glide towards his falling body.Time inched slowly along.

He couldn't feel is body fall into her open Light Hawk Wings, but he could see it.And he couldn't feel himself float to Tsunami, but he saw the whole thing.As the Wings placed him carefully on one of the monstrous branches of the tree, he saw Sasami gently scold him, like she did so long ago in the woman's baths of his great-aunt's onsen."Tenchi, stay out of this."

Before the horror of paralysis could set it, delicate streams of light came forth from the higher branches of the tree and sluggishly rained down upon his body.Slowly he could feel his body get renewed by the life giving light.As soon as his strength was almost fully renewed, he completely overlooked Sasami's warning and tried to bolt once again to Tokimi, but staggered as he felt Tsunami's invisible arms enclose him and pull him back to the branch. He had become an unwilling spectator.

From his location, he could see Sasami gracefully glide to a position a couple feet in front of Tokimi, and despite the great distance he could clearly hear the women speak.

"Hello, sister," Sasami said with a dull, unemotional expression.

"Hello, sister," Tokimi answered, shedding her sarcastic attitude upon feeling her sister's seriousness.

Then they simply stared at each other in a withdrawn, tense silence.Urging things forward, a light wind came forth from Tsunami and rustled the women's robes.

He almost didn't see it.A silent, almost invisible blue wave of energy traversed the distance between the two women, coming from Sasami, causing Tokimi to merely stumble back a second but buying enough time for Sasami to engulf herself in light, changing, in a manner eerily reminiscent of Ayeka, into her combat gear.Tokimi was already charging at full throttle upon the completion of Sasami's transformation, her left arm bearing a massive amber sword and chambered for a savage outward swing towards Sasami's torso, almost the exact same spot he had seen his own sword enter Ayeka's side.He tried to shout but accidentally swallowed the words before it reached his lips, and he tried to leap into the fray but failed to overcome Tsunami's ever-tightening grip. _No! _he shouted mentally to himself, _Don't let it happen again!_He continued to struggle .To his relief, Sasami phased out, the blade swished through the air where she once stood, and she reappeared further along the walkway.In ethereal brilliance the 10 Light Hawk Wings leapt from her body.One she kept in her hand, the other 9 hastily constructed themselves into a grid in the space between the two women.

Tokimi pulled back from her swing, shoved her sword into the wooden ground, leaned on it, and asked, with a raised eyebrow, "Really, Tsunami, we've played this game before.Do you really think you can handle another run?"

Sasami answered only with her heavy, deliberate breathing.

"Very well."With a staccato _clip_ Tokimi's decorative outer garments fell to the floor.The metallic ornaments thudded on the floor, marking the beginning of Tokimi's charge.She slid forward into the air into the gaping jaws of Sasami's Wings, blurring into a bullet whose tip was the threatening end of her sword.It was an impressive show, but Tenchi saw the ruse.

However, Sasami did not.

The first two wings snapped shut on the almost invisible wisp of Tokimi, causing it to disappear like the apparition that it was.Time flew by at incredible rates, and all Tenchi could gather in the precious split seconds was a muffled yell that he knew wouldn't be heard.The real Tokimi phased in victoriously inches above and behind Sasami and her defense matrix, her amber sword already halfway through a violent swing directed toward Sasami's exposed head.

This time Tenchi's shout got through and touched Sasami's ears, causing her to reflexively leap to the ground and pull in her Wings.Again, Tokimi's sword grazed the air where Sasami's body was only moments earlier.With professional swiftness, Tokimi recovered from her miss and continued her descent, beginning a violent counter-swing aimed directly at the now-prostrate Sasami.

Tenchi held his breath as he helplessly anticipated the outcome of Tokimi's attack.Sasami once more impressed Tenchi with her combative skill as she thrust herself into a roll that brought into a more easily defendable but still vulnerable position; with only milliseconds to spare one of her Wings materialized in her hand barring Tokimi's thrust. 

It was a scene of beauty as the two women gazed into each other's eyes with a serenity that contrasted sharply against the pure chaos that emanated from the contact of their swords.The paradoxical view assaulted Tenchi visually and audibly; the grinding of pure energy crashed through the hallways always reminding him that the two delicate women before him her engaged in a tremendous battle that ultimately amounted to the ageless clash of good against evil. 

For an what seemed an eternity Sasami laid unmoving on the ground, both her hands holding the Wing an arm's length against Tokimi's sword, who was also almost immobile as she hung in the air over Sasami, slowly grinding closer and closer to her with the power of her weight.He cursed Tsunami for rendering him so useless.Tokimi was obviously gaining the upper hand, relentlessly pressing closer and closer to Sasami with a look of evil satisfaction of her face.Using her fading reservoir of energy, Sasami unleashed the potential within her, violently flinging her sister off of her with the combined, Jurain power of the 10 Wings.As she attempted a standing position, she once again set up nine of the Wings in a grid between her and Tokimi.

But the clash had taxed her too much.She remained on the ground trembling on her hands and knees, gasping for air with a pained look that stirred Tenchi to try again in vain to pull free from Tsunami._Why is she doing this? _He yelled, mentally at Tsunami.He knew that simply keeping him where he was was also draining energy from the suffering woman before him.As he watched the flickering Wings hover uncertainly in the air, the _last _defense, the urge to help her grew and he squirmed insatiably in Tsunami's invisible grips.Deep inside, however, he knew that whatever help he could add was next to nothing against Tokimi's seemingly endless power.

Tokimi grinned sadistically as she watched her sister dangle precariously on the brink of exhaustion."This is how it always ends, sister."She shouted over the inconstant buzzing of the fading Wings."Things would be so much easier of you simply let me do it.But no, with the pride of Jurai nailed to your chest, and the measly power of Jurai within you, you simply _must _fight with me.And this is how it ends.Always."The statement seemed to be directed more to Tenchi than to Sasami.

Abruptly Tokimi leapt from her position, with murderous viciousness slashed the dying embers of the nearest Wing into nothingness, and with practiced, methodical precision continued on to the next.Sasami had pulled herself into a kneeling position and used her hands to guide the Wings with as much simplicity as one would play a video game, but every time Tokimi destroyed a Wing she doubled over in pain, destroying any doubts that she was, in fact, responsible for the brilliant spectacle.And that she was suffering with every blow.Indirectly, Tenchi also felt her pain, and slowly he reverted back to animalistic rage as he watched Tokimi beat her own sister into oblivion as if it were an every day happening.

Gracefully Tokimi destroyed the last Wing, did away with her sword because she no longer needed it, and landed in front of Sasami, who had fallen back on the floor almost totally unconscious."Pathetic."She glanced over at Tenchi, and hesitated for a moment, for as she attacked her sister, he had pulled harder and harder against Tsunami's grip and now was in a standing position on the branch, leaning against, Tsunami's invisible arms, writhing in uncontrolled rage.Quickly she tossed the thought of him being a threat aside, and moved on to more important manners.With a malevolent gentleness she picked up Sasami's body, tossed it into the air, and grabbed it by the neck as it descended.As she struggled against Tokimi's grip, Sasami still persisted and used her last ounce of energy to hold her chin high in defiance.In the distance, Tenchi pulled farther and farther away from Tsunami's trunk.

Careful not to be heard by Tenchi, Tokimi said quietly and deliberately, "I've killed many in the past week.Perhaps I have destroyed all you relatives. Perhaps I will absorb your power today.If so, your suffering will end.Wouldn't you like that, sister?"

Sasami silently looked into her sister's eyes.

"Well then," Tokimi said angrily, disgusted by her Sasami's invincible courage"Let's find out the hard way!"She closed her eyes in concentration, and her hand began to flow into Sasami's neck.Tenchi mindlessly continued further and further along the branch, lengthening his distance from Tsunami.

A massive, unchecked explosion filled the room, heralding Tokimi's failure. 

The discharge sent Sasami into near-death; Tsunami's grip on Tenchi snapped like a rubber band and even assisted Tenchi as he bolted at unbearable speeds with his 4 wings towards Tokimi, who was still recovering from the blast.

Without thinking, he gathered his Wings as one and slashed at Tokimi's face.

The woman's pained scream echoed through the chamber; it was a scream of someone who had never felt pain before.Infuriated, she reflexively blasted Tenchi with full power, sending him careening back to Tsunami.Tenchi's limp, unconscious body thudded dully against the wood.Still motivated by anger, she attempted a leap towards the tree, fully intending to utterly destroy the boy, but was stopped upon seeing Sasami grinning despite her condition.

Instinctively she reached her hand to Sasami's source of gratification:her face was bleeding.Childishly she directed her anger at Sasami's satisfaction; all their lives she had been the domineering sister, the one who had almost completely convinced her siblings, Tsunami and Washu, that she was completely invincible.And now, Sasami was watching in content as she bled.Sasami watched Tokimi's blood seep from a cut on her face, and was revitalized by knowing that Tokimi, was _not_ invincible.Her lover, Tenchi had just proved that.Tokimi thundered over to Sasami's body, bent over, and attempted to crush Sasami's confidence by saying, " I will find your blood relatives.I will kill them."She glanced over to Tenchi's body."That boy does not matter.He comes from another dimension.He is another one of Washu's futile backup plans.I _will_ find the Jurai Royal Blood of this dimension, and I will slay them all."Anticlimactically she disappeared.The entire chamber regained its vivid color and its life.And Sasami was still smiling.

Once again the tree healed Tenchi, and once again the tree held Tenchi' to it's body.The wind blew and rustled the leaves of the other trees, totally oblivious to what had just happened.The artificial light was dimming, keeping time with the ending day outside.

He knew it was useless to try to escape from the tree, in fact it would even tire Sasami even more, so he sat on the tree and breathed deep, slow breaths of satisfaction and exhaustion as Sasami slowly and laboriously limped towards him.The dimming light outlined the soft features of Sasami's body.She had changed much too.She had matured, and just as Tsunami had looked on the day they discovered Sasami's identity, she was very beautiful.

He said nothing as she stripped herself of her clothes, and as she joined him on the branch of Tsunami.As she approached he could see the innumerable cuts and bruises that defaced her divinely pleasant body.He said nothing as she curled herself into Tenchi's lap and pulled his hand against the soft, delicate skin of her chest.The streams of light came forth from the tree and began to renew her body.

Quietly, he asked the question that needed to be asked."Sasami, who's still alive in our family?"

Her hands pressed his tightly into her bosom.She slowly, tiredly whispered through quivering lips, "Tenchi, the most important people in the universe are your grandfather… and our son." 

END PART 3

After being exposed to two extremely strong women, and after experience one of their struggles first hand, Tenchi wonders if he's actually up to the job.

**_Barely Breathing_**  
Performed by Duncan Sheik

I know what you're doing, I see it all to clear  
I only taste the saline when I kiss away your tears  
You really had me going, wishing on a star  
But the black holes that surround you are heavier by far

I believed in your confusion, you were so completely torn  
Well it must have been that yesterday was the day that I was born  
There's not much to examine, there's nothing left to hide  
You really can't be serious if you have to ask me why  
  
I say good-bye...  
  
'Cause I am barely breathing  
And I can't find the air  
I don't know who I'm kidding  
Imagining you care  
And I could stand here waiting  
A fool for another day  
But I don't suppose it's worth the price, worth the price  
The price that I would pay  
  
Everyone keeps asking, what's it all about?  
I used to be so certain and I can't figure out  
What is this attraction? I only feel the pain  
There's nothing left to reason and only you to blame Will it ever change?  
  
  
'Cause I am barely breathing  
And I can't find the air  
I don't know who I'm kidding  
Imagining you care  
And I could stand here waiting  
A fool for another day  
But I don't suppose it's worth the price, worth the price  
The price that I would pay  
But I'm thinking it over anyway...  
  
  
I've come to find  
I may never know  
Your changing mind  
Is it friend or foe?  
  
I rise above  
Or sink below  
With every time  
You come and go  
Please don't come and go  
  
'Cause I am barely breathing  
And I can't find the air  
I don't know who I'm kidding  
Imagining you care  
And I could stand here waiting  
A fool for another day  
But I don't suppose it's worth the price, worth the price  
The price that I would pay  
But I'm thinking it over anyway...

I'm looking for a place you guys can download it online.


	4. Part 4-Renewed Acquaintance

The rough, brown chunks of rock hung lazily over the black velvet ink of space, chugging along unwillingly as the mighty sun, 

The rough, brown chunks of rock hung lazily over the black velvet ink of space, chugging along unwillingly as the mighty sun, the great taskmaster, struck all within reach with whips of light.It was a rather disheartening scene.It was the Earth.

Tenchi sighed in remorse as he gazed at the unforgiving sun through the light blue tint of his spaceship's windshield.Every now and then an asteroid would intervene, moving between the two and casting a blissful shadow that pervaded the ships interior, only to leave him, after awhile, in the lethal stare of the sun.He was filled with sorrow, but that wouldn't help any.He had a universe to save.

He'd spent that night with Sasami in silence.There was no need to talk, no need to do anything, after what had happened. She, of course, needed rest and easily fell asleep in the protection of his arms.Nothing, however, gave him the need to sleep.It would've been dark, but from her body came a brilliant ethereal glow that enhanced her flawless figure.All he could do was watch the light blue halo of light that covered her body as it ebbed and flowed with her breathing.

She was… perfect.Of course, as _the Empress of Jurai and a Goddess, to offer less would be a sacrilege.She had grown so much; she had become so different, just like Mihoshi.He missed so much in the monstrous gap of time that Washu's machine sent him past.He could only imagine the traumatic events that would rationalize Mihoshi and drastically mature Sasami.Yet that night, as he marveled at the fully grown woman before him, a woman that he didn't understand, a light breezed fluttered through the chamber and caused her to shiver violently; when she did that he held her closer and realized that the little girl Sasami he knew and loved still was in this woman and once again he was motivated to complete the impossible task at hand… if doing so guaranteed her safety._

When her eyelids fluttered open with the dawning of the artificial sun, Tenchi felt it was time to move on, so when he knew she was fully awake, he quietly asked her, "Sasami, where can I find him?Grandpa…I need to train with him."

She had looked into the sun for awhile, in thought, then she turned to him, eyes shining brightly, an she said, with a smile, "Tenchi, where's Grandpa at whenever he's not saving the universe?"

He drew his own conclusions.That was the final exchange between them.After that, they both had gotten up, off of Tsunami's branch and onto the walkway, and he turned away in silence as Sasami put her clothes back on.She called some guards, and like a Queen dismissing a jester, she sent him away.

She simply said, "I had a fine time, Lord Tenchi."The escorts brought him away and they walked through the palace in a nervous silence.He gave a laugh… the guards must definitely be uneasy when a stranger spends an entire night with the Empress, the most beautiful woman in the universe.It felt good to laugh again, but it was only temporary.In some random, unremarkable corridor the head of the escort announced the Royal spaceport as their destination.When they reached a massive, seeming endless cavern that he guessed was the spaceport, the escort brought him to a sleek, Yagami-sized spacecraft that obviously belonged to the GDF.After a short, heated argument with the GDF techs that were crawling all over the spacecraft, the captain of the escort approached him and said,

"The Royal Court has commandeered this vessel for you.Climb aboard; you may talk with the ship's AI. The destination has already been set.Lady Sasami advises that you get some sleep."

Then they left him too, unprotected in the huge maw of the spaceport.

All he could do was get onboard.The AI popped from the ceiling, a curious dome with binocular eyes, and took things from there.He announced his name, Nakamura, Spaceport Clearance, and the departure, which was remarkably smooth, especially when compared to all the Mihoshi/Ryoko lift-offs he'd been in.The only thing he asked Nakamura was where they were going.After getting the answer he expected, he went to sleep in the plush, reclined command seat.

Nakamura had gently pulled him out of the rejuvenating oblivion when they arrived at their destination.And there they were, circling the Sun in a massive asteroid belt that had recently replaced Venus and Earth between Mercury and Mars.Things were so desolate, so lifeless.Very few humans had had the privilege of seeing the Earth from space.With help from Ryo-ohki, Tenchi had been one of the few.Seeing the ungainly, brown chunks of rock where the beautiful blue orb of the Earth should've been, combined with the fact that he, or any human, would never see that swirling blue orb again, simply crushed his spirits.

Quietly, as if he were hiding from someone, he slowly whispered, "Keep an eye out Nakamura.Document anything suspicious."

"Yes sir!" Nakamura blared, shattering the stealth.

"Um…" Tenchi said, resuming normal volume, "Can you try to find… a living person?"

"Will do sir!"The shutters on Nakamura's "eyes" sagged out of focus and a holo-monitor leapt into existence next to them, displaying a top down view of the asteroid belt and a radar type line that indicated Nakamura's scan.

Abruptly, the radar line stopped, and Nakamura's eyes pulled back into focus."Auxiliary Sensors detect 'suspicious' activity, sir!"the dome chimed obediently"Would you like a report, sir?!"The screen zoomed into a remote fringe of the asteroid belt.

"Yeah, um, what's going-"

**_FWACK!_**

**__**The short, soft thump resounded through the command center and sent the ship soaring through the asteroid belt and violently flung Tenchi out of the seat and onto a nearby guardrail.It caught him in the stomach, after taking a deep breath to recover, Tenchi hissed, "What was that?!"

"Identifying, sir!!" Answered Nakamura, in a tone way too happy considering the situation.An odd, low, animal-like growl hummed through the ship

He felt the ship swing around to face the assailant.

It was gargantuan!

Filling the _entire _view screen was a huge, obviously organic, geometric construction of a ship that rivaled a geometry student's worst nightmare.The massive aggregation of black, obsidian like crystals was directed ominously towards them.There was an uneasy pause as the two opponents observed each other.Tenchi took the time to seek an escape route- but the enemy was taking up the entire view screen!!As his eyes scoured the myriad angles and trapezoids he found, in the very center of the monumental figure a shape he knew well….

… four large spines like obsidian extending from a large, blood red gem….

Could it be?

Another, low, tiger-like growl rocked the ship, beginning the enemy's charge.Despite its bulk, the ship shot toward them like lightening. Sasami had made sure Tenchi was on board the best ship possible:Nakamura responded just as quickly with an un-robot-like _humph, _thrusting the ship sideways at a speed so past stars blurred into streaks on the view screen.After regaining his equilibrium Tenchi swung around to see the back of the monstrosity on the rear view screen.As the huge obsidian ship turned the sun's reflection glided majestically across its surface.Sunlight glinted off the surface and into his eyes.Nakamura broke Tenchi's awe by rapidly saying, "I have found the ships origin an asteroid at space coordinates x-234.346 y-345.323 z-000.134 awaiting orders sir!"

Automatically dismissing the option of fighting as futile, Tenchi shouted, without thinking, "Go to it!"

Emotionlessly, Nakamura questioned, "Go to what, sir?

"The asteroid!" 

Wordlessly Nakamura obeyed, and directed the ship towards some invisible destination, and leapt to maximum speed.Asteroids flung by at unimaginable speeds, many of them were close enough to cause Tenchi to flinch and duck under the guardrail.Another asteroid came out of the darkness, centered in the middle of the view-screen, obviously their destination.It was quite unremarkable; similar to the others, with no signs whatsoever of artificiality.

Tenchi became worried when Nakamura did not decrease their speed. 

"Hey, hey!"Tenchi shouted, forgetting Nakamura's name in the adrenaline rush.

The dull brown, pitted surface of the asteroid grew to fill the view screen.

"Argagghg!"He flung himself under the command seat.

Nakamura flew through the asteroids surface without a scratch, revealing a dimly light, definitely manmade chamber.Gently Nakamura landed on the flat, paved surface with a tenderness that completely contradicted the insane flying he had done moments earlier.As Tenchi regained his bearings he heard another, more cat-like growl rumble through the asteroid.Then came a light but still low-pitched _meow _of discontent, followed by Nakamura's report:

"Sir, the enemy has vanished, sir!"

A frazzled, completely disoriented Tenchi staggered into a half-standing position and drunkenly asked no-one in particular, "What- what was that?"

"What was what, sir?" came the monotone response.

"_That whole thing!" _Tenchi insisted.

Confused, Nakamura gave a battle report."Sir!The enemy was an unclassified ship of biological origin!When I found its source I was able to discover a well-disguised port shielded by a hologram surface sir!Finding no other alternative, I brought the ship here, and the enemy has vanished sir!"

"Yeah," Tenchi acknowledged, still disoriented, only hearing Nakamura's repetitive, annoying, Sir!"Uh… what next?"

"Sir, the asteroid is well hidden! I cannot discover what is in the interior-it is shielded by some unknown energy source!"

"Well… I'm going to see what's inside," said Tenchi, catching through the windshield a narrow, dimly lit corridor leading away from the spaceport.

"I must insist that you wait, sir, until I can construct a report!"

He gathered together his last ounce of politeness and said, "Bye Nakamura."And he left the ship.

He trudged through the long corridor with the same boldness he had when he fought Kagato and when he searched Clay's ship.Like then, the setting wasn't quite hospitable.The corridor was etched in the asteroid itself and offered a dark, cave-like and rather unfriendly appearance.The only light came from sparse sources on the ceiling- the cave was widening in all directions and the light was getting further and further away.Finally, the passage way climaxed into a cavernous chamber and abruptly ended at a large, metallic and definitely secure doorway surrounded by a plethora of monitors and buttons.

"Aw, geez," Tenchi muttered under his breath as he scratched his head."How am I supposed to get past this?I don't want to go back to that annoying Nakamura guy."He decided to test his infallible luck by pressing buttons and touching monitors but gained nothing but a salvo of annoying and sometimes threatening beeps.That left one choice…

He switched into combat mode, darted his eyes around to see if anyone was looking, and when he was sure that he was alone, he tried to pull the door apart.

As he grunted in futility he thought, _I must look really, really stupid.Hope nobody's watching._

At that moment, he _felt _someone grinning at his predicament. 

" Need any help?"came a female voice.

Instinctively he spun around and groped for his sword, only to remember that he had already lost it in the void.Embarrassed, he looked up to see a cloaked, hooded figure, hunched over just enough so that its face was hidden in the shadows of the already dim room.Despite that, he could see a hand dart out from under the cloak, revealing a delicate, feminine hand.The hand clasped on what seemed nothingness, then, abruptly, a ruby red energy sword materialized into the hand's grip.

"You may have gotten past my pet, but lemme tell ya, you're definitely going down here."The hooded figure, still hunched over, took a tentative step forward. "It would've been better, little man, if you haven't find this place, but, since you did, I'm going to have to kill you."

The sword… the delicate hand… the powerful yet gentle voice… and the attitude… could it really be?And… wherever there was Ryo-ohki, there was also…

"Ryoko?"

The figure stiffened just like a person called by name, the sword flickered for an instant.She took two steps forward into better light, and the other hand came from under the robes, grasped the hood, and pulled it back.

Brilliant cyan hair cascaded from under the hood, falling gently over squinting golden feline eyes that he knew well.Exhilaration filled him to the brim and he called out, like a little boy, "Ryoko!"

She took another step forward to get a better view, directly under a feeble beam of light that fell from some source in the distance, revealing a Ryoko no older then when he last saw her but she was tired… she still was a little hunched over, and her legs were bent in a more defensive position, rather than the aggressive, catlike stance he'd been used to seeing her in.Her eyes were duller, unfocused, and her hair no longer retained it's gravity defying properties and instead sagged toward the ground.Despite that, she was still… sublime.

"T-Tench-" she sputtered, not collected enough to even speak his name.She extended her hand, sword already gone, and longingly she held it out there as her lips tried to say his name…

"Ryoko!" Tenchi answered with a huge grin on his face, "It's me, it's me, Tenchi!"

"Ten-T-" she fell on one knee, shivering a bit, a tear flowing down her cheek, hand still extended.

He couldn't bear seeing her like that, so he started forward to grasp her hand and to tell her that he was there for her.

His advance was cut short when Ryoko shrieked, "_No!" _and to his surprise she pulled back her arm and leapt back into the shadows. 

"_No, stop!"_she continued backing further into the shadows commanding him to stop with the palm of her hand."_Get away from me!No!"_Violently she grabbed her head and fell onto floor._"No I don't want to see him.No, stop!Not again!" _

"No, Ryoko I'm here!It's me!"He was both moved and confused by her seemingly unwarranted anger, so valiantly he stepped forward and offered his arms to her shivering figure in the shadows, all the while reassuring her that he was there.

With warning Ryoko reared up and her crimson blade leapt into existence in her hand, bathing the entire massive chamber in an evil red glow that only enhanced the unexpected features of wrath on her face.

"I know you.I know where you come from."She had completely changed her demeanor.She was no longer frantic; instead, she used a more, collected, deliberate, and ominous voice.Tenchi had heard that cool, confident tone before:she always used it when confronting an enemy.Never before did Tenchi imagine he'd be on the receiving end."Yeah, I know."Her eyes narrowed accusingly."Tokimi made you."

Tenchi took a step back, shocked by Ryoko's accusation.She took advantage of his hesitation by flicking her wrist and sending Tenchi sailing across the cavern.

The impact into the wall knocked the breath out of him.As he fell backwards gently towards the floor he let out a labored wheeze, all the while stunned after experiencing Ryoko's power for the first time.Even though he'd seen it plenty of times, he couldn't imagine that she had this much power. Then again, he never thought he'd be on the receiving end of Ryoko's wrath.

After what seemed an eternity he fell flat on his stomach to the ground, the little air in his lungs knocked out of him again.The loose dust of the cavern floor rose about him and stung his eyes and nose.As he struggled to prop himself up on his arms he coughed ineffectually a couple of times and turned to see Ryoko with an angered look on her face, bathed in the red glow of her sword.

Her eyes burned with unadulterated fury.

"How could you do this?"she yelled.Her voice and look were distant; she didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular." Use him?Use the only thing that I hold dear _against me? _Can't you let him rest in peace?_Can't you leave us alone? _I _loved _him!My soul _burned _for him!You know that!And that's why…" 

Tenchi was speechless as he considered Ryoko's passionate discourse.She never really told him… not like that…

She took two steps, in no direction in particular, as if she were deliberating some enormous decision, and after no time at all she finally took a firm, resolute step forward… towards Tenchi.

On seeing the fiery look on her face, Tenchi took a step backwards.

The stared at each other for a couple seconds, seeking answers, but Ryoko, engrossed in rage, reared up and began her charge.

She glided across the chamber like some berserk angel of death, ringed in a halo of blood red, not graceful like he remembered but clumsy, awkward, and hesitant.Nonetheless, she still came at him with massive power, and he stared at her descending glory in sort of a daze:he had no defense and it wasn't as if he would use it if he did… he would never touch her.The urgency inside of him increased as he felt the precious milliseconds whither away, so he looked her straight in the eye, intending to resign to his fate with as much regality as possible.She was not herself, she was possessed, but she was still as marvelous as ever.Her face, her body, at least that would be the last thing that he'd see.

And she came closer and closer, gaining speed as time slipped away…

But instead of feeling the sharp, insensitive sting of her sword piercing so unforgiving and so impersonally in his side, he felt her body fling haphazardly and rather anticlimactically into his knocking them both forcefully to the ground.Before Tenchi could regain his bearings, much less his composure, Ryoko pulled him into a tight, passionate brace, while darting her hands unromantically over Tenchi's back, up his neck and onto his head, carelessly ruffling his hair in her attempts to make concrete Tenchi's reality, Tenchi's existence.The only indicator of her emotion was her occasional sobs and her obvious attempts to repress them, carrying out her task with a grim seriousness and indifference…

She pushed back his shoulders revealing to him her face for the first time since they had crashed, the burning rage was no longer there.She was focused on the task at hand.Unconsciously Tenchi remained as still as he could, breathing slowly and suppressing the creeping instinct to swallow lest he disturb her or cause her to revert to unexplained rage.

And then she finished, set her eyes even with his.A half smile crept onto her face… she was almost finished.

"Tenchi,"she asked, tentatively, "do you love me?"

In his mind he sought for the _right _answer, because she knew she was still "testing" him.What answer would he normally give?It had been so long ago when he was "still" normal.In this whirlwind of time travel and battles and lost friendships and loves he had almost lost his identity!

Frantic, he began, "Ye-" and that was all he could say before Ryoko's finger was pressed against his lips.

"Not another word."

And, being Ryoko, she rudely shoved her face in his. 

In the uneasy silence she grinned.He had passed the last test alright: he accepted her kiss, and that was expected because, after all, she was the most beautiful woman alive now and Tenchi loved _her _over…but she stopped there, giving the Princess the respect she deserved.She grinned again.He passed with flying colors, alright, when she tried to add a little tongue he writhed the _exact _same way he used to (she could sense deep down inside he wanted it), and when he finally gotten out of her facelock he shouted "Ryokooooo!" in the exact same whiny voice he always had.

Had… this was not Emperor Tenchi raised from the dead.When Tenchi had accepted the throne he almost became an entirely different person.No, if this was really Tenchi, he must've come….

"Washu?"she asked.

For a moment Tenchi looked at her with the most befuddled look on his face, but as he processed the unspoken meaning of the question he answered softly, "Yeah, she sent me."

And she looked to the heavens, or at least she _tried _to before being blocked by the unremarkable, pitted ceiling of the cavern, and sighed thoughtfully, "Mom…"giving the other deceased member of their "family" her respects.

She looked to Tenchi again, and saw him fidgeting with the dust on the cavern floor and for the first time sensed his embarrassment.Moments later, she too, felt the embarrassment well up in her throat.

How could it be?How could the most hardened veteran of the war, the space pirate, theMercenary Angel, the Savior of the Frontier, to name her most recent nicknames, he could _she _feel _embarrassment? _Such a trivial emotion!

The answer of course, sat before her.It was Tenchi…he had a power over her!He opened her heart, releasing for the first time in _years_ emotions of sensitivity that she had _always _held especially for him.As she felt the new emotions coarse through her, she felt the urge, just to leap out and embrace him again, not as part of a test, but just a simple hug.As she thought these thoughts, she laughed to herself.The power of love could bring the most destructive and insensitive soldier of the war to a giddy teenage girl dictated by a crush.And the best part of all was, she was loving every single second of it.

Tenchi looked up at her laughing, and in response she looked up to him, and decided to end the moment.Best to save it for later and do more productive.

"Look, um… that was way, way out of character."She smiled just thinking about it."Let's keep this under our hats ok?"And she gave the most adorable, convincing puppy-eye look she could muster.

She stopped when she got nothing but another confused look by Tenchi.Did she do something wrong?

"Keep under our hats from who?"

She almost smacked her forehead!They were still in the docking bay entranceway.He hadn't gone in yet!

"I'll open the doors for you."She said, answering his question with something he thought was totally irrelevant. 

But before he could say a word, she was gone.

While he got up and started to look for her, the doors began to open with a hiss and the strained groan of rarely used metal rubbing against metal, pouring through the crack an almost star-like glare.

The whole time, as Tenchi shielded his eyes and began to hesitantly walk towards the open door, Ryoko was hidden in the rock of the cavern, gazing at Tenchi, unseen cheeks flushed read with youthful love.


End file.
